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A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION 


>.^T>^mrn|UMt<jv»,.L^pifl^    ^M^w  ■  I  k.-"!  WH.^11""! 


BOOKS  BY   MRS.  EVERARD  COTES 

(SARA  JEANNETTE   DUNCAN). 
UNIFORM   EDITION. 


A  Voyage  of  Consolation. 

Illustrated.     i2mo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 

His  Honour,  and  a  Lady. 

Illustrated.     i2mo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 

Tlie  Story  of  Sonny  Sahib. 

Illustrated.     i2mo.     Cloth,  f  i.oo. 

Vernon's  Aunt. 

With  many  Illustrations.     i2mo.     Cloth,  $1.25. 

A  Daughter  of  To=Day. 

A  Novel.     i2mo.     Cloth,  $1.50. 

A  Social  Departure. 

How  Orthodocia  and  I  Went  Round  tiik 
World  by  Oursklvf.s.  With  11 1  Illustrations 
by  F.  H.  TowNSEND.  i2mo.  Paper,  75  cents  ; 
cloth,  $1.75. 

An  American  Girl  in  London. 

With  80  Illustrations  by  F.  H.  Townsend.  i2mo. 
Paper,  75  cents  ;  cloth,  $1.50. 

The  Simple  Adventures  of  a  Memsahib. 

With  37  Illustrations  by  F.  H.  Townsend.  i2mo. 
Cloth,  $1.50. 


New  York:  D.  APPLETON  &  CO.,  72  Fifth  Avenue. 


"Jamais  !" 


(See  page  156.) 


A  VOYAGE 
OF  CONSOLATION 


(BEING    IN    THE    NATURE    OF 
A   SEQUEL   TO   THE    EXPERIENCES    OF 
"AN    AMERICAN    GIRL    IN    LONDON") 


BY 


SARA  JEANNETTE   DUNCAN 

(MRS.  EVERARD  COTES) 


AUTHOR    OF 
SOCIAL    DEPARTURE,     AN    AMERICAN 
A    DAUGHTER    OF    TO-DAY 


(;iRI.    IN    LONDON, 

,  Vernon's  aunt,  the 

STORY    OF    SONNY    SAHIB,    HIS    HONOUR 
AND    A    LADY. 


ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW    YORK 
D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 

1898 


145248 


CoPYRiOHT,  1897,  1898, 
By  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


m 


■'i 


1 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


"Jamais!" 

I\Ioinnia  was  cnjovin-^  herself 

"  I  cx[)cct  you've  seen  these  before  " 

Breakfast  with  Dicky  Dotl    . 

"Are  you  paid  to  make  faces?"  . 

We  followed  the  monks 

Dicky  shouted  till  the  skeletons  turned 

We  were  sitting  in  a  narrow  balcony 

"  I'm  not  a  crowned  head  ! " 

"  Do  you  see  ?  "       . 

Fervent  apologies  .... 

"  Whom  are  you  going  to  marry  ?  " 


FAriNO 
i'AUK 


to 


iste 


Front  iHj)iice 


.  3G 

.  45 

.  99 

.  140 

.  1G9 

.  189 

.  194 

.  208 

.  250 

.  20.") 

.  323 


m 
m 


A  YOVAGE   OF   CONSOLATION. 


CIIAPTEE  I. 


It  seems  iucxoiisaLle  to  roiniiul  tlio  public  tliat  ono 
has  written  a  book.    Poppa  says  I  ought  not  to  feel  that 
way  about  it — that  he  might  just  as  well  be  shy  about 
referring  to  the  baking  soda  that  he  himself  invented — 
but  I  do,  and  it  is  with  every  apology  that  I  mention  it. 
I  once  had  such  a  good  time  in  England  that  I  printed 
my  experiences,  and  at  the  very  end  of  the  volume  it 
seemed  necessary  to  admit  that  I  was  engaged  to  Mr. 
Arthur  Greenleaf  Page,  of  Yale  College,  Connecticut. 
I  remember  thinking  this  was  indiscreet  at  the  time, 
but  I  felt  compelled  to  bow  to  the  requirements  of  fic- 
tion.    I  was  my  own  heroine,  and  I  had  to  be  disposed 
of.     'J'here  seemed  to  be  no  alternative.     I  did  not  wish 
to  marry  ]\Ir.  Maiferton,  even  for  literary  purposes,  and 
Peter  Corke's  suggestion,  that  I  should  cast  myself  over- 
board in  mid-ocean  at  the  mere  idea  of  living  anywhere 
out  of  England  for  the  future,  was  autobiographically 
impossible  even  if  T  had  felt  so  inclined.    So  T  connnitted 
the  indiscretion.     In  order  that  the  w^orld  might  be  as- 
sured that  my  heroine  married  and  lived  hajjpily  ever 


2  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

afterwards,  T  took  it  proniaturoly  into  my  oonfidcnce 
regarding  my  intention.  The  thing  that  occurred,  as 
naturally  and  inevitably  as  the  rain  if  you  leave  your 
umbrella  at  home,  was  that  within  a  fortnight  after  my 
return  to  Chicago  my  engagement  to  Mr.  Page  teniii- 
nated;  and  the  even  more  painful  consecpience  is  that  I 
feel  obliged  on  that  account  to  refer  to  it  again. 

Even  an  American  man  has  his  lapses  into  unreason- 
ableness. Arthur  especially  encouraged  the  idea  of  my 
going  to  England  on  the  ground  that  it  would  be  so 
formative.  lie  said  that  to  gaze  upon  the  headsman's 
block  in  the  Tower  was  in  itself  a  liberal  education. 
As  we  sat  together  in  the  drawing-room — monmia  and 
poppa  always  preferred  the  sitting-room  when  Arthur 
was  there — he  used  to  gild  all  our  future  with  the  cul- 
ture which  I  should  acquire  by  actual  contact  with  the 
hoary  traditions  of  Great  Britain.  He  advised  me  ear- 
nestly to  disembark  at  Liverpool  in  a  receptive  and  ap- 
preciative, rather  than  a  critical  and  antagonistic,  state 
of  mind,  to  endeavour  to  assimilate  all  that  was  worth 
assimilating  over  there,  remembering  that  this  might 
give  me  as  much  as  I  wanted  to  do  in  the  time.  I  re- 
member he  expressed  himself  rather  finely  about  the 
only  proper  attitude  for  Americans  visiting  England 
being  that  of  magnanimity,  and  about  the  claims  of  kin- 
shi}),  only  once  removed,  to  our  forbearance  and  affec- 
tion. He  put  me  on  my  guard,  so  to  speak,  alout  only 
one  thing,  and  that  was  spelling.  American  spelling, 
he  said,   had   become   national,   and   attachment   to   it 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


ranked  next  to  patriotism.  Such  words  as  "  color," 
"  program,"  "  center,"  had  obsolete  English  forms  which 
I  could  only  accpiire  at  the  sacrifice  of  my  independ- 
ence, and  the  surrender  of  my  birthright  to  make  such 
improvements  ujion  the  common  language  as  I  thought 
desirable.  And  I  know  that  I  was  at  some  inconvenience 
to  mention  "  color,"  "  program,"  and  "  center,"  in  sev- 
eral of  my  letters  just  to  assure  Mr.  Page  that  my 
orthography  was  not  in  the  least  likely  to  be  under- 
mined. 

Indeed,  I  took  his  advice  at  every  point.  I  hope 
I  do  not  presume  in  asking  you  to  remember  that  I  did. 
I  know  I  was  receptive,  even  to  penny  buns,  and  some- 
times simply  wild  witli  api)reciation.  I  found  it  as 
easy  as  possible  to  subdue  the  critical  spirit,  6ven  in 
connection  with  things  which  I  should  never  care  to 
approve  of.  I  shook  hands  with  Lord  Mafferton  with- 
out the  slightest  personal  indignation  with  him  for  being 
a  peer,  and  remember  thinking  that  if  he  had  been  a 
duke  I  should  have  had  just  the  same  charity  for  him. 
Indeed,  I  was  sorry,  and  am  still  sorry,  that  during  the 
four  months  I  spent  in  England  T  didn't  meet  a  single 
duke.  This  is  less  surprising  than  it  looks,  as  they  are 
known  to  be  very  scarce,  and  at  least  a  (piarter  of  a  mil- 
lion Americans  visit  Great  Britain  every  year;  but  I 
should  like  to  have  known  one  or  two.  As  it  was,  four 
or  five  knights — knights  are  very  thick — one  baronet, 
Lord  Mafferton,  one  maripiis — but  we  had  no  conversa- 
tion— one  colonel  of  militia,  one  Lord  Mavor,  and  a 


if'ftijiff^ntwifi  .'iumn,,  '>^im'JVif'''iT'W 


4  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

llorse  Guard,  rank  unknown,  comprise  my  ac(iuaintancc 
with  the  aristocracy.  A  duke  or  so  woukl  have  com- 
pleted the  set.  And  the  magnanimity  which  I  woukl 
so  willingly  have  stretched  to  include  a  duke  spread  itself 
over  other  British  institutions  as  amply  as  Arthur  could 
have  wished.  When  I  saw  things  in  Hyde  Park  on 
Sunday  that  I  was  compelled  to  find  excuses  for,  I 
thought  of  the  tyrant's  iron  heel;  and  when  I  was 
obliged  to  overlook  the  superiorities  of  the  titled  great, 
I  reflected  upon  the  difficulty  of  walking  in  iron  heels 
without  inconveniencing  a  prostrate  population.  I 
should  defy  anybody  to  be  more  magnanimous  than  I 
was. 

As  to  the  claims  of  kinship,  only  once  removed,  to 
our  forbearance  and  affection,  1  never  so  much  as  sat 
out  a  dance  on  a  staircase  with  Oddie  Pratte  without 
recognising  them. 

.  It  seems  almost  incredible  that  Arthur  should  not 
have  been  gratified,  but  the  fact  remains  that  he  was 
not.  Anyone  could  see,  after  the  first  half  hour,  that 
he  was  not.  During  the  first  half  hour  it  is,  of  course, 
impossible  to  notice  anything.  We  had  sunk  to  the 
level  of  generalities  when  I  happened  to  mention 
Oddie. 

"  He  had  darker  hair  than  you  have,  dear,"  I  said, 
"  and  his  eyes  were  blue.  Not  sky  blue,  or  china  blue, 
but  a  kind  of  sea  blue  on  a  cloudy  day.  He  had  rather 
good  eyes,"  I  added  reminiscently. 

"Had  he?"  said  Arthur. 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


"  But  your  noses,"  I  went  on  reassuringly,  "  were 
not  to  be  compared  with  each  other." 

''Oh!"  said  Arthur. 

"  lie  luas  so  impulsive!  "  I  couldn't  help  snuling  a 
little  at  the  recollection.  "  But  for  that  matter  they 
all  were." 

''  Impulsive?  "  asked  Arthur. 

"  Yes.  llidiculoi  ly  so.  They  thought  as  little  of 
proposing  as  of  asking  one  to  dance." 

''Ah!"  said  Arthur. 

"  Of  course,  I  never  accepted  any  of  them,  even 
for  a  moment.  But  they  had  such  a  way  of  taking 
things  for  granted.  Why  one  man  actually  thought 
I  was  engaged  to  him!  " 

'^  Really!  "  said  Arthur.    "  May  I  inquire " 

"  No,  dear,"  I  replied,  "  I  think  not.  I  couldn't 
tell  anybody  about  it — for  his  sake.  It  was  all  a  silly 
mistake.  Some  of  them,"  I  added  thoughtfully,  ''  were 
very  stupid." 

'^  Judging  from  the  specimens  that  find  their  way 
over  here,"  Arthur  remarked,  "  I  should  say  there  was 
plenty  of  room  in  their  heads  for  their  brains." 

Arthur  was  sitting  on  the  other  side  of  the  fireplace, 
and  by  this  time  his  expression  was  aggressive.  I 
thought  his  remark  unnecessarily  caustic,  but  I  did  not 
challenge  it. 

"  Some  of  them  were  stupid,"  I  repeated,  "  but  they 
were  nearly  all  nice."  And  I  went  on  to  say  that  what 
Chicago  people  as  a  whole  thought  about  it  I  didn't 


6 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


know  and  T  didn't  caro,  but  so  far  as  my  experience 
went  the  English  were  the  loveliest  nation  in  the 
world. 

"  A  nation  like  a  box  of  strawberries,"  Mr.  Page 
suggested,  "  all  the  big  ones  on  top,  a]^  the  little  ones 
at  the  bottom." 

"  That  doesn't  matter  to  lis,"  I  replied  cheerfnlly, 
"  we  never  get  any  further  than  the  top.  And  you'll 
admit  there's  a  great  tendency  for  little  ones  to  shake 
down.  It's  only  a  question  of  time.  They've  had  so 
much  time  in  England.  You  see  the  effects  of  it  every- 
where." 

"  Xot  at  all.  By  no  means.  Our  little  strawberries 
rise,"  he  declared. 

"  Do  they?  Dear  me,  so  they  do!  I  suppose  the 
American  law  of  gravity  is  different.  In  England  they 
would  certainly  smile  at  that." 

Arthur  said  nothing,  but  his  whole  bearing  ex- 
pressed a  contempt  for  puns. 

"  Of  course,"  I  said,  ^'  I  mean  the  loveliest  nation 
after  Americans." 

I  thought  he  might  have  taken  that  for  granted. 
Instead,  he  looked  incredulous  and  smiled,  in  an  observ- 
ing, superior  way. 

"  Why  do  you  say  '  ahf ter  '  ?  "  he  asked.  His  tone 
was  sweetly  acidulated. 

"  Why  do  you  say  '  affter  '  ?  "  I  replied  simply. 

"  Because,"  he  answered  with  quite  unnecessary 
emphasis,  "  in  the  part  of  the  world  I  come  from  every- 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION.  7 

body  says  it.     Bocaiiso  my  mother  has  brought  mo  up 
to  say  it." 

"  Oh,"  I  sail',  lookin«j;  at  the  lamp,  "  they  say  it  like 
that  in  other  parts  of  tlie  world  too.  In  Yorkshire — and 
sncli  places.  As  far  as  mothers  go,  I  must  tell  you 
that  monuna  approves  of  my  pronunciation.  She 
likes  it  better  than  anytliing  else  I  have  brought 
back  with  me — even  my  tailor-mades — and  thinks 
it  wonderful   that   I   should   have   acquired   it   in   the 


tune 


>> 


*'  Don't  you  think  you  could  remember  a  little  of 
your  good  old  American?  Doesn't  it  seem  to  come  back 
to  you?" 

All  the  Wicks  hate  sarcasm,  especially  from  those 
they  love,  and  I  certainly  had  not  outgrown  my  fond- 
ness for  ^Ir.  Page  at  this  time. 

"  It  all  came  back  to  me,  my  dear  Arthur,"  I  said, 
"  the  moment  you  opened  your  lips!  " 

At  that  not  only  Mr.  Page's  features  and  his  shirt 
front,  but  his  whole  personality  seemed  to  stiffen.  He 
sat  up  and  made  an  outward  movement  on  tin;  seat  of 
his  chair  which  signified,  "  ]\rv  hat  and  overcoat  are  in 
the  hall,  and  if  you  do  not  at  once  retract " 

"  Rather  than  allow  anytliing  to  issue  from  them 
which  would  im])ly  that  I  was  not  an  American  I  would 
keep  them  closed  for  ever,"  he  said. 

"  You  needn't  worry  about  that,"  T  observed. 
"  Nothing  ever  will.  But  I  don't  know  why  we  should 
glory  in  talking  through  our  noses."     Involuntarily  I 


8 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


played  with  my  ongageiiiont  ring,  slipping  it  up  and 
down,  as  I  spoke. 

Arthur  rose  with  an  expression  of  tok'rant  amuse- 
ment— entirely  forced — and  stood  by  the  fireplace,  lie 
stood  beside  it,  with  his  elbow  on  the  mantelpiece,  not 
in  front  of  it  with  his  legs  apart,  and  I  thought  with  a 
pang  how  much  more  graceful  the  American  attitude 
was. 

"  Have  you  come  back  to  tell  us  that  we  talk  through 
our  noses?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  don't  like  being  called  an  Anglomaniac,"  I  re- 
plied, dro])ping  my  ring  from  one  finger  to  another. 
Fortunately  I  was  sitting  in  a  rocking  chair — the  only 
one  I  had  not  been  able  to  persuade  momma  to  have 
taken  out  of  the  drawing-room.  The  rock  was  a  con- 
siderable relief  to  my  nerves. 

"  I  knew  that  the  cockneys  on  the  other  side  were 
fond  of  inventing  fictions  about  what  they  are  pleased 
to  call  the  '  American  accent,'  "  continued  Mr.  Page, 
with  a  scorn  which  I  felt  in  the  very  heels  of  my  shoes, 
"  but  I  confess  I  thought  you  too  patriotic  to  be  taken 
in  by  them." 

"  Taken  in  by  them  "  was  hard  to  bear,  but  I  thought 
if  I  said  nothing  at  this  point  we  might  still  have  a 
peaceful  evening.     So  I  kept  silence. 

"  Of  course,  I  speak  as  a  mere  product  of  the  Ameri- 
can Constitution — a  common  unit  of  the  democracy," 
he  went  on,  his  sentences  gathering  wrath  as  he  rolled 
them  out,  "  but  if  there  were  such  a  thing  as  an  Ameri- 


■trti^m^rwimfww^i^rw^m^ 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


9 


can  accent,  I  tliiiik  I've  lived  long;  enoiiiili,  and  patrolled 
this  little  I'aiion  of  ours  extensively  enough,  to  hear  it 
by  this  time.  ]iut  it  ai)pears  to  he  necessary  to  reside 
four  months  in  Kngland,  mixing  freely  with  earls  and 
coimtesses,  to  detect  it." 

"  Perhaps  it  is,"  I  said,  and  I  inriy  have  smiled. 

"  I  should  hate  to  pay  the  price." 

!Mr.  Page's  tone  distinctly  expressed  that  the  society 
of  earls  and  countesses  would  be,  to  him,  contaminating. 

Again  I  made  no  reply.  I  wanted  the  American 
accent  to  drop  out  of  the  conversation,  if  possible,  but 
Fate  had  willed  it  otherwise. 

''  I  sai,  y'know,  awfly  hard  luck,  you're  havin'  to 
settle  down  amongst  these  barbarians  again,  bai  Jove!  " 

I  am  not  quite  sure  that  it's  a  proper  term  for  us(^ 
in  a  book,  but  by  this  time  I  was  mad.  There  was  crit- 
(icism  in  my  voice,  and  a  distinct  chill  as  I  said  com- 
posedly, "  You  don't  do  it  very  well." 

I  did  not  look  at  him,  I  looked  at  the  lamp,  but  there 
was  that  in  the  air  which  convinced  me  that  we  had 
arrived  at  a  crisis. 

"  I  suppose  not.  I'm  not  a  marquis,  nor  the  end 
man  at  a  minstrel  show.  I'm  only  an  American,  like 
sixty  million  other  Americans,  and  the  language  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  i;,  good  enough  for  me.  But  I  sup- 
pose I,  like  the  other  sixty  million,  emit  it  through  my 
nose!  " 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  contradict  you,"  I  said. 

Arthur  folded  his  arms  and  gathered  himself  up 


10 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


until  he  appeared  to  ta])er  from  his  stem  hke  a  florist's 
boiKpiet,  and  all  the  npper  part  of  liim  was  pink  and 
trembling  with  emotion.  Arthur  ma}'  one  day  attain 
corpulence;  he  is  already  well  rounded. 

"  I  need  hardly  say,"  he  said  majestieally,  "  that 
when  I  did  myself  the  honour  of  proposing,  I  was  under 
the  impression  that  I  had  a  suitable  larynx  to  offer 
you." 

"  You  see  I  didn't  know,"  I  murmured,  and  by  acci- 
dent I  dropped  my  engagement  ring,  which  rolled  upon 
the  carpet  at  his  feet,     lie  stooped  and  picked  it  up. 

"  Shall  I  take  this  with  nie^  "  he  asked,  and  1  said 
*'  By  all  means." 

That  was  all. 

I  gave  ten  minutes  to  reflection  and  to  the  possibility 
of  Arthur's  coming  back  and  pleading,  on  his  knees, 
to  be  allowed  to  restore  that  defective  larvnx.  Then  I 
went  straight  upstairs  to  the  telephone  and  rang  up  the 
Central  office.  When  they  replied  "  7/e//o,"  I  said,  in 
the  moderate  and  concentrated  tone  which  we  all  use 
through  telephones,  "  Can  you  give  me  New  York?  " 

Poppa  was  in  New  York,  and  in  an  emergency  poppa 
and  I  always  turn  to  one  another.  There  was  a  delay, 
during  which  I  listened  attentively,  with  one  eye  closed 
— I  believe  it  is  the  sign  of  an  unbalanced  intellect  to 
shut  one  eye  when  you  use  the  telephone,  but  I  needn't 
go  into  that — and  presently  I  got  New  York.  In  a  few 
minutes  more  I  was  accommodated  with  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel. 


^ 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


11 


''  Mr.  T.  P.  AVic'k,  of  Chicago,"  I  (Icinanded. 

*' /s  his  room  number  SId-ly-two?  " 

That  is  the  kind  of  mind  whicli  V(>ii  usually  find 
attached  to  the  Xew  York  end  of  a  trans-American  tele- 
phone, liut  one  does  not  bandy  words  across  a  thousand 
miles  of  country  with  a  hotel  clerk,  so  1  merely  re- 
sponded: 

"  Very  probably." 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  the  still  small  voice 
came  again. 

"  il//'.  WicJc  is  in  heel  at  present.  Anythimj  im- 
poriant?  " 

I  reflected  that  while  I  in  Chicago  was  speaking  to 
the  hotel  clerk  at  half-past  nine  o'clock,  the  hotel  clerk 
in  Xew  York  was  speaking  to  me  at  eleven.  This  in 
itself  was  enough  to  make  our  conversation  disjointed. 

"  Y"es,"  I  responded,  ''  it  is  important.  Ask  Mr. 
AVick  to  get  out  of  bed." 

Sufficient  time  elapsed  to  enable  poppa  to  put  on  his 
clothes  and  come  down  bv  the  elevator,  and  then  I 
heard : 

'^  Mr.  }Yich  is  now  speaking.^^ 

"  Y"es,  poppa,"  I  replied,  "  I  guess  you  are.  Y^oiir 
old  American  accent  comes  singing  across  in  a  way  that 
no  member  of  your  familv  would  ever  mistake.  But 
you  needn't  be  stiff  about  it.     Sorry  to  disturb  you." 

Poppa  and  I  were  often  personal  in  our  intercourse. 
I  had  not  the  slightest  hesitation  in  mentioning  his 
American  accent. 


-V 


12 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"■y/fV/o,  Mamie!  DonH  mcnlion  it.  TI7m/'s  upf 
House  on  fire?  Wdlvr  pipes  hurst?  StriL'e  in  the 
liilrlieii?  t^ound  the  alarnt — send  for  i/ie  plumljer — 
raise  Gladys's  ivages  and  sack  Mar()uerite.^'' 

"  JMy  cn^ajjjcmont  to  ^Ir.  I*a<;('  is  broken.  Do  you 
get  me?     Wliat  do  you  suj>'^('st^  " 

1  heard  a  whistle,  wliich  I  cannot  express  in  italics, 
and  then,  contidentiallv; 

"i'ow  donH  say  so!    Bad  break?  " 

"  Very,"  I  responded  firndy. 

"Any  details  of  the  disaster  availahle?     What?  " 

"  Not  at  present,"  I  replied,  for  it  would  have  been 
diffienlt  to  send  them  by  t(dei)hone. 

I  could  hear  Jioj)])a  considering-  the  matter  at  the 
other  end.  lie  coughed  once  or  twice  and  made  some 
indistinct  inipiiries  of  the  hotel  clerk.  Then  he  called 
my  attention  a<^ain. 

''Hello!''  he  said.  ''On  to  me?  All  right.  Go 
abroad.  Always  done.  Paris,  Ve)iicc,  Florence,  Rome, 
and  the  other  places.  Vll  stand  in.  Germanic  sails 
Wednesdays.  Start  by  night  train  to-morrow.  Bring 
momma.  We  can  get  Germanic  in  good  shape  and  ten 
minutes  to  spare.     Bight?'' 

"  Right,"  I  responded,  and  hung  up  the  handle.  I 
did  not  wish  to  keep  popjia  out  of  bed  any  longer  than 
was  necessary,  he  was  already  up  so  much  later  than  I 
was.  I  turned  away  from  the  instrument  to  go  down 
stairs  again,  and  there,  immediately  behind  me,  stood 
momma. 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


13 


'^  Wt'll,  really!  "  I  exclaiiiuMl.  It  did  not  occur  to 
mv  that  the  privacy  of  tclcphoiiic  ctniiinunicatioii  hv- 
twccn  Chicago  and  Xcw  Voi'k  was  not  inviolahlc.  1^(»- 
sidcs,  there  are  moments  when  one  feels  a  little  annoyed 
with  one's  momma  for  having  so  lightly  undertaken 
one's  existence.  This  was  one  of  them.  Hut  I  decided 
not  to  express  it. 

**  1  was  only  going  to  say,"  I  remarked,  "  that  if  I 
had  shrieked  it  would  have  been  your  fault." 

''  I  knew  everything,"  said  monniia,  "  the  minute 
1  heard  him  shut  the  gate.  1  came  up  immediatcdy,  and 
all  this  time,  dear,  you've  been  coniiding  iu  us  both, 
^ly  dear  daughter." 

Momma  carries  about  with  her  a  well-spring  of  sen- 
timent, which  she  did  not  be(iueath  to  me.  In  that  re- 
spect I  take  almost  entirely  after  my  otlu^r  jwreut. 

''  Ycry  well,"  I  said,  "  then  I  won't  have  to  do  it 
again." 

ller  look  of  disappointment  compelled  me  to  speak 
with  decision.  "  I  know  what  you  would  like  at  this 
juncture,  momma.  You'd  like  me  to  get  down  on  the 
floor  and  put  my  head  in  your  \a\)  and  weep  all  over 
your  new  brocade.  That's  what  you'd  really  enjoy. 
But,  under  circumstances  like  these,  I  never  do  thinas 
like  that.  ]N"ow  the  question  is,  can  you  get  ready  to 
start  for  Europe  to-morrow  night,  or  have  you  a  head- 
ache coming  on?  " 

llomma  said  that  she  expected  Mrs.  Judge  Simmons 
to  tea  to-morrow  afternoon,  that  she  hadn't  been  think- 


.<■  .Mt^Tf^'^^^mmfw* 


14 


A   VOYAiJK  OF   CONSOLATION. 


ing  of  it,  and  lliat  slic  was  out  of  nerve  tincture.  At 
least,  tliese  were  lier  j»riii('ij)al  (tl)j('('ti(Mis.  1  said,  on 
mature  eonsi<leratiou,  I  didn't  see  wiiy  Mrs.  Simmons 
shouldn't  eome  to  tea,  that  tliere  were  twenty-four  lioura 
for  all  necessary  thinkin^i;,  and  that  a  gallon  of  nerve 
tincture,  if  required,  could  he  at  her  disposal  in  ten 
minutes. 

"  lieing  Protestants,"  T  added,  "  T  suppose  a  convent 
wouldn't  he  of  any  use  to  us — what  do  you  thinks" 

Momma  thought  she  could  go. 

There  was  no  need  for. hurry,  and  1  attended  to  only 
one  other  matter  hefore  I  went  to  bed.  That  was  a  com- 
munication to  the  Herald,  which  I  sent  off  in  plenty  of 
time  to  appear  in  the  morning.  It  was  addressed  to  the 
Society  Editor,  and  ran  as  follows: 

"  The  marriage  arranged  between  Professor  Arthur 
Greenleaf  J^age,  of  Yale  University,  and  Miss  Mamie 
AVick,  of  14515,  Lakeside-avenue,  Chicago,  will  not  take 
place,  ^[r.  and  Mrs.  Wick,  and  Miss  AVick,  sail  for 
Europe  on  Wednesday  by  s.s.  Germanic." 

I  reflected,  as  I  closed  my  eyes,  that  Arthur  was  a 
regular  reader  of  the  Herald. 


'■•• 


riTAPTER  IT. 

V^^E  mot  poppa  oil  tin;  Oonnanie  ganji^vay,  his  hat 
on  the  back  of  his  head  and  one  tinj;er  in  each  of  his 
waistcoat  ])ocl<('ts,  an  attitii(h?  wiiich,  with  him,  always 
hotokcns  concern.  The  vesscd  was  at  that  sta^o  of  de- 
j)artiirc  when  the  jieople  who  have  been  turned  off  arc 
feeling-  injured  that  it  slionld  have  l)een  done  so  soon, 
and  apj)arently  oii'y  the  wei^-lit  of  j)oj)pa's  personality 
on  its  Xew  York  end  kejit  the  |[i;antr,way  out.  As  wo 
drove  np  he  ap])eared  to  lift  his  little  finger  and  three 
dishevel k'd  navigators  darted  upon  the  cab.  They  and 
we  and  our  trunks  swept  np  the  gangway  together,  which 
immediately  closed  behind  ns,  under  the  direction  of 
an  extremely  irritated  looking  Chief  Officer.  We  re- 
united as  a  family  as  well  as  we  could  in  connection 
with  uncoiled  ropes  and  ship  discipline.  Then  poppa, 
with  his  watch  in  his  hand,  exclaimed  reproachfully, 
well  in  hearing  of  the  Chief  Officer,  "  I  gave  you  ten 
minutes  and  you  had  ten  minutes.  You  stopped  at 
Huyler's  for  candy,  I'll  lay  my  last  depreciated  dollar 
on  it." 

My  other  parent  looked  guiltily  at  some  oblong  boxes 

tied  up  in  white  paper  wdth  narrow  red  ribbon,  which, 

16 


16  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

innocently  enough  I  consitlcr,  enhance  tlie  vahie  of  life 
to  us  both.  But  she  ignored  the  charge — momma  hates 
arguments. 

"  Dear  me!  "  she  said,  as  the  space  widened  between 
us  and  the  docks.  "  So  we  are  all  going  to  Europe  to- 
gether this  morning!  I  can  hardly  realise  it.  Farewell 
America!     How  interesting  life  is." 

"  Yes,"  replied  poppa.  "  And  now  I  guess  I'd  better 
show  you  your  cabins  before  it  gets  any  more  inter- 
esting." 

AVe  had  a  calm  evening,  though  nothing  would  in- 
duce momma  to  think  so,  and  at  ten  o'clock  Senator 
J.  P.  AVick  and  I  were  still  pacing  the  deck  talking 
business.  The  moon  rose,  and  threw  Arthur's  shadow 
across  our  conversation,  but  we  looked  at  it  with  pre- 
cision and  it  moved  away.  That  is  one  of  poppa's  most 
comforting  characteristics,  he  would  as  soon  open  his 
bosom  to  a  shot-gun  as  to  a  confidence.  He  asked  for 
details  through  the  telephone  merely  for  bravado.     As  | 

a  matter  of  fact,  if  I  had  begun  to  send  them  he  would  J 

have  rung  off  the  connection  and  said  it  was  an  acci-  f 

dent.     We  dipped  into  politics,  and  I  told  the  Senator  | 

that  while  I  considered  his  speech  on  the  Silver  Compro-  * 

mise  a  credit  to  the  family  on  the  whole,  I  thought  he 
had  let  himself  out  somewhat  unnecessarily  at  the  ex-  - 

pense  o^  the  British  nation.  '    4 

"  We  are  always  twisting  a  tail,"  I  said  reproach-  % 

fully,  "  that  does  nothing  but  wag  at  us." 

This  poppa  reluctantly  admitted  with  the  usual  refer- 


•»W«mWJir«mJjW 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


17 


once  to  the  Irish  vote.  AVe  both  hoped  sincerely  that 
any  English  friends  who  saw  that  speech,  and  pansed 
to  realise  that  the  orator  was  a  parent  of  mine,  wonld 
consider  the  number  of  Irish  resident  in  Illinois,  and 
the  amount  of  invective  which  their  feelings  recpiire. 
Poppa  doesn't  real1'  know  sometimes  whether  he  is  him- 
self or  a  shillelagh,  but  whatever  his  temporary  political 
capacity  he  is  never  ungrateful.  He  went  on  to  give  me 
the  particulars  of  his  interview  with  the  President 
about  the  Chicago  Post  Office,  and  then  I  gTadually 
unfolded  my  intention  of  prep,  ring  our  foreign  exi)eri- 
ences  as  a  family  for  publicatioii  in  book  form.  While 
I  was  unfolding  it  i)oppa  eyed  me  askance. 

"  Is  that  usual?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Very  usual  indeed,"  I  replied. 

"  I  mean — under  the  circumstances?  " 

"  Under  what  circumstances?  "  I  demanded  boldly. 
I  knew  that  nothing  would  induce  him  to  sjiecifv  them. 

"  Oh,  I  only  meant — it  wasn't  exactlv  mv  idea." 

"  AVhat  was  your  idea — exactly?  "  It  was  mean  of 
me  to  put  poppa  to  the  blush,  but  I  had  to  define  the 
situation. 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  witli  unlooked-for  heroism,  "  I  was 
basing  my  calculations  wdth  reference  to  you  on  the  dis- 
tractions of  change — Paris  dry-goods,  rowing  round 
Venice  in  gondolas,  riding  through  the  St.  Gothard 
tunnel,  and  the  healing  hand  of  time.  I  don't  intend 
to  give  a  day  less  than  six  weeks  to  it.  I'm  looking  for- 
ward to  the  tranquilising  effect  of  the  antique  some 


■w;^-"  'Fm— '^     ^f^^yywm'' 


18  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

myself,"  ho  added,  hedging.  "  I  find  these  new  self- 
risers  that  we've  undertaken  to  earrv  almost  more  than 
my  temjM'rament  can  stand.  They  went  up  from  an  out- 
put of  five  hundred  dollars  to  six  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand,  and  baek  again  inside  seven  days  last  month. 
I'm  looking  forward  to  examining  something  that  hasn't 
moved  for  a  couple  of  thousand  years  with  considerable 
pleasure." 

"Po])pa,"  said  I,  ignoring  the  self-risers, "if  you  were 
as  particular  al)out  the  quality  of  your  fiction  as  you  are 
about  the  quality  of  your  table-butter,  you  would  know 
vhat  the  best  heroines  never  have  recourse  to  such  meas- 
ures now.  They  are  simply  obsolete.  Except  for  my 
literary  intention,  I  should  be  ashamed  to  go  to  Europe 
at  all — under  the  circumstances.  But  that,  you  see, 
brings  the  situation  up  to  date.  I  transmit  my  Euro- 
pean impressions  through  the  prism  of  damaged  affec- 
tion.    Nothing  could  be  more  modern." 

"  I  see,"  replied  poppa,  rubbing  his  chin  searchingly, 
which  is  his  manner  of  expressing  sagacious  doubt.  His 
beard  descends  from  the  lower  part  of  his  chin  in  the 
long  unfettered  American  manner,  without  which  it 
is  impossible  for  Punch  to  indicate  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States.  When  he  positively  disapproves  he  pulls 
it  severely. 

'^  But  Europe's  been  done  before,  you  know,"  he 
continued.  "  In  fact,  I  don't  know  any  continent  more 
popular  than  Europe  with  people  that  want  to  publish 
books  of  travel.    It's  been  done  before.'* 


i 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


19 


''  Never,"    I   rejoined,    "  in   connection    with    you, 

poppa!  " 

Poppa  removed  his  hand  from  his  chin. 

"  Oh,  if  I'm  to  assist,  that's  quite  another  anecdote," 
lie  said  hriskly.  ''  I  didn't  understand  you  intended 
to  ring  me  in.  Of  course,  I  don't  mean  to  imply  there 
is  any  special  prejudice  against  books  of  travel  in  Eu- 
rope. About  how  many  pages  did  you  think  of  run- 
ning it  to? " 

"  My  idea  was  three  hundred,"  I  replied. 

"  And  how  many  words  to  a  page?  " 

"  Two  hundred  and  lifty — more  or  less." 

''That's  seventy-five  thousand  words!  Pretty  big 
undertaking,  if  you  look  at  it  in  bulk." 

"  We  shall  have  to  rely  upon  momma,"  I  remarked. 

Poppa's  expression  disparaged  the  idea,  and  he  began 
to  feel  round  for  his  beard. 

"  If  I  were  you,"  he  said,  "  I  wouldn't  place  much 
dependence  on  momma.  She'll  be  able  to  give  you  a 
few  hints  on  sunsets  and  a  pointer  or  two  about  the 
various  Venuses,  likely — she's  had  photographs  of  sev- 
eral of  them  in  the  house  for  years — but  I  expect  it's 
going  to  be  a  question  of  historical  fact  pretty  often, 
and  momma  won't  be  in  it.  Not  that  I  want  to  choke 
momma  off,"  he  continued,  "  but  she  will  necessitate 
a  whole  reference  library.  And  in  some  parts  of  Eu- 
rope I  believe  they  charge  you  for  every  pound  of  1  ig- 
gage,  including  your  lunch,  if  you  don't  happen  to  have 
concealed  it  in  your  person." 


20  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

"  We'll  luivo  to  pill  her  down  to  the  guide-books," 
I  remarked. 

"  That  depends.  I've  always  understood  that  the 
guide-book  market  was  largely  controlled  by  Mv.  Mur- 
ray and  ]\lr.  Baedeker.  Also,  that  Mr.  Murray  writes 
in  a  yein  of  pretty  lofty  sentiment,  while  ^Ir.  Baedeker 
is  about  as  interesting  as  a  directory.  Xow  where  the 
right  emotion  is  included  at  the  price  I  don't  see  the 
use  of  monuna,  but  when  it's  a  question  of  Baedeker 
we  might  turn  her  on.     See?  " 

"  Pojipa,"  I  replied  with  emotion,  "  you  will  both 
be  inyaluable.  I  will  bid  you  good-night.  I  believe 
the  electric  light  burns  all  night  long  in  the  smoking- 
cabin,  but  that  is  not  supposed  to  indicate  that  gentle- 
men are  expected  to  stay  there  till  dawn.  I  see  you 
have  two  llavanas  left.  That  will  be  quite  enough  for 
one  evening.     Good-night,  poppa." 


"rv'TT'—rru i„»»T  y^w  UBS 


CHAPTER  III. 


All  tlio  way  across  momma  implored  me  to  become 
reconciled  to  Arthur.  In  extreme  moments,  when  it 
was  very  choppy,  she  composed  telegrams  on  lines  which 
were  to  drive  him  wild  with  contrition  without  com- 
promising my  dignity;  and  when  I  suggested  the  ditli- 
cnlty  of  tampering  with  the  Atlantic  cable  in  mid-ocean 
without  a  diving  machine,  she  wept,  hinting  that,  if  I 
were  a  true  daughter  of  hers,  things  would  never  have 
come  to  such  a  pass.  My  position,  from  a  filial  point 
of  view,  was  most  trying.  I  could  not  deny  my  re- 
sponsibility for  momma's  woes — she  never  left  her  cabin 
— yet  I  was  powerless  to  put  an  end  to  them.  Young 
women  in  novels  have  thrown  themselves  into  the  arms 
of  the  wrong  man  under  far  less  parental  pressure,  but 
although  it  was  indeed  the  hour  the  man  was  not  avail- 
able. Xeither,  such  was  the  irony  of  circumstances, 
would  our  immediate  union  have  affected  the  motion 
in  the  slightest  degree.  But  although  I  presented  these 
considerations  to  momma  many  times  a  day,  she  ad- 
hered so  persistently  to  the  idea  of  promoting  a  happy 
reunion  that  I  was  obliged  to  keep  a  very  careful  eye 

on  the  possibility  of  surreptitious  messages  from  Liver- 

21 


22  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

pool.  Once  on  dry  land,  howover,  nioninia  saw  her 
duty  in  another  liglit.  I  might  say  that  she  swallowed 
her  j)rinci})les  with  the  first  meal  she  really  enjoyed, 
after  whieh  she  expressed  her  eonvietion  that  it  was  best 
to  let  the  dead  past  bury  its  dead,  so  long  as  the  obse- 
quies did  not  necessitate  her  immediate  return  to 
America. 

I  was  looking  forward  immensely  to  observing  the 
Senator  in  London,  remembering  the  effect  it  had  upon 
my  own  imagination,  but  on  our  arrival  he  conducted 
himself  in  a  manner  which  can  only  be  described  as  non- 
committal, lie  went  about  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets, 
smoking  large  cigars  with  an  air  of  reserved  criticism 
that  vastly  impressed  the  waiters,  acquiescing  in  straw- 
berry jam  for  breakfast,  for  example,  in  a  manner  which 
said  that,  although  this  might  be  to  him  a  new  and 
ccmqilex  custom,  he  was  acquainted  with  Chicago  ones 
much  more  recondite,  llis  air  was  superior,  but  mod- 
estly so,  and  if  he  said  nothing  you  would  never  sup- 
pose it  was  because  he  had  nothing  to  say.  lie  meant 
to  give  Great  Britain  a  chance  before  he  pronounced 
anything  distinctly  unfavourable  even  to  her  steaks, 
and  in  the  meantime  to  remember  what  an  up-to-date 
American  owes  to  his  country's  reputation  in  the  hotels 
of  a  foreign  town. 

He  was  verv  much  at  his  ease,  and  I  saw  him  look- 
ing  at  a  couple  of  just  introduced  Englishmen  embark- 
ing in  conversation,  as  if  he  wondered  what  could  pos- 
sibly be  the  matter  with  them.    I  am  sorry  that  I  can't 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  23 

say  as  much  for  my  other  parent,  hut  before  monarcliical 
institiitioiia  momma  \veakeiie(h  She  had  moments  of 
terribk^  indecision  as  to  how  to  do  her  liair,  and  I  am 
certain  it  was  not  a  matter  of  inditference  to  her  that 
she  should  make  a  good  impression  upon  the  head  butler. 
Also,  she  hesitated  about  examining  the  mounted 
Guardsman  on  duty  at  Whitehall,  preferring  to  walk 
past  with  a  casual  glance,  as  if  she  were  accustomed 
to  see  things  quite  as  wonderful  every  day  at  home, 
whereas  nothing  to  approach  it  has  ever  existed  in  Ameri- 
ca, except  in  the  imagination  of  Mr.  Barnum,  and  he 
is  dead.  And  shopwalkers  patronised  her.  I  congratu- 
lated mvself  sometimes  that  I  was  there  to  assert  her 
dignity. 

I  must  be  permitted  to  generalise  in  this  way  about 
our  London  experiences  because  they  only  lasted  a  day 
and  a  half,  and  it  is  impossible  to  get  many  particulars 
into  that  space.  It  was  really  a  pity  we  had  so  little 
time.  Xothing  would  have  been  more  interesting  than 
to  bring  momma  into  contact  with  the  Poets'  Corner, 
or  introduce  poppa  to  the  House  of  Lords,  and  watch  the 
effect.  I  am  sure,  from  what  I  know  of  my  parents, 
that  the  effect  would  have  been  crisp.  But  we  decided 
that  six  weeks  was  not  too  nuich  to  give  to  the  Conti- 
nent, also  that  an  opportunity,  six  weeks  long,  of  absorb- 
ing Europe  is  not  likely  to  occur  twice  in  the  average 
American  lifetime.  AVe  staved  over  two  or  t  iree  trains 
in  London,  however,  just  long  enough  to  get  in  a  back- 
ground,  as  it   were,   for  our   Continental   experiences. 


24 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


The  woatlior  was  typical,  and  the  background,  from  an 
artistic  point  of  view,  was  perfect.  AVliik^  not  precisely 
opa(iue,  you  couldn't  see  tlnv^ugh  it  anywhere. 

AVhen  it  became  a  question  of  how  we  were  to  put 
in  the  time,  it  seemed  to  momma  as  if  she  would  rather 
lie  down  tlian  anything. 

"  You  and  your  father,  dear,"  she  said,  ^'  might  drive 
to  St.  Paul's,  when  it  sto])s  raining.  Have  a  good  look 
at  the  dome  and  try  to  bring  me  back  the  sound  of  the 
echo.  It  is  said  to  be  very  weird.  See  that  poppa  doesn't 
forget  to  take  off  his  hat  in  the  body  of  the  church,  but 
he  might  ])ut  it  on  in  the  Whispering  Gallery,  where 
it  is  sure  to  be  draughty.  And  remend)er  that  the  fu- 
neral coach  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  is  down  in  the 
crypt,  darling.  You  might  bring  me  an  impression  of 
that.  I  think  I'll  have  a  cup  of  chocolate  and  try  to  get 
a  little  sleep." 

"  Is  it,"  asked  poppa,  "  the  coach  which  the  Duke 
sent  to  represent  him  at  the  other  people's  funerals,  or 
the  one  in  which  he  attended  his  own?  " 

"  You  can  look  that  up,"  momma  replied;  "  but  ray 
belief  is  that  it  was  presented  to  the  Duke  by  a  grateful 
nation  after  his  demise.  In  which  case  he  couldn't  pos- 
sibly have  used  it  more  than  once." 

I  looked  at  momma  reprovingly,  but,  seeing  that 
she  had  no  suspicion  of  being  humorous,  I  said  nothing. 
The  Senator  pushed  out  his  under  lip  and  pulled  his 
beard. 

"  I  don't  know  about  St.  Paul's,"  he  said;  "  wouldn't 


',^»W.»""<    T  ' 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


25 


any  otlicr  impression  do  as  well,  nionmui?  Tt  doesn't 
seem  to  be  jnst  the  weather  for  crvpts,  and  I  (U)n't  sup- 
pose the  hearse  of  a  iiiilitarv  man  is  j^oin^-  to  make  the 
surroundings  any  more  ciieerful.  Now,  my  idea  is  that 
when  time  is  limited  you've  got  to  let  some  tilings  go. 
I'd  let  the  historical  go  every  time.  I'd  let  tlie  instruc- 
tive go — we  ean't  drag  around  an  idea  of  the  British 
Museum,  for  instance.  I'd  let  ancient  associations  go 
— unless  you're  jjarticularly  interested  in  the  parties 
associated." 

I  thought  of  the  morning  I  once  spent  picking  up 
details,  traditions,  and  remains  of  Dr.  Johnson  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  West  Central  district,  and  privately 
sympathised  with  this  view,  though  I  felt  com})elled  to 
look  severe.  Momma,  who  was  now  lying  down,  dis- 
sented. AVhat,  then,  she  demanded,  had  we  crossed 
the  ocean  for? 

"  liather,"  said  she,  ''  where  time  is  limited  let  U9 
spread  ourselves,  so  to  speak,  over  the  area  of  culture 
available.  This  morning,  for  example,  you,  husband, 
might  ramble  round  the  Tower  and  try  to  ])icture  the 
various  tragedies  that  have  been  enacted  there.  You, 
daughter,  might  go  and  bring  us  those  inTjiressions  from 
St.  Paul's,  while  I  will  content  nivself  with  observin:? 
the  manners  of  the  British  chambermaid.  So  far,  I 
must  say,  I  think  they  are  lovely.  Thus,  each  doing 
what  he  can  and  she  can,  we  shall  take  back  with  us,  as 
a  family,  more  real  benefit  than  we  could  possibly  obtain 
if  we  all  derived  it  from  the  same  source." 


26 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CV^XSOLATION. 


"  Xo,"  said  ])o|)i)a  Hniily.  "  I  take  oxooption  to 
your  tlioory  ri«;lit  tlicrc,  Augusta.  Culture  is  a  very 
.  haruilcss  thing,  and  there's  no  reason  why  you  shouhln't 
take  it  in,  till  your  baek  gives  out,  every  day  we're 
liere.  Jiut  I  consider  that  we've  got  the  artiele  in  very 
good  sha])e  in  our  little  town  over  there  in  Illinois,  aud 
personally  I  don't  jn'opose  to  go  nosing  round  after  it 
in  Euro])e.  And  as  a  family  man  I  should  hate  to  bo 
divided  u\)  for  any  such  ])ur})ose." 

''  Oil,  if  you're  going  to  steel  yourself  against  it, 
my  love " 

"  Now,  what  IJraudev  said  to  me  the  dav  before 
we  sailed  was  this — Xo,  I'm  not  steeling  myself  against 
it;  my  every  ])ore  is  open  to  it — Brandey  said:  '  Your 
time  is  limited,  vou  can't  see  everything.  Very  well. 
See  the  unicjue.  Keej)  that  in  mind,'  he  said;  'the 
uni(pie.  And  you'll  be  surprised  to  find  how  very 
little  there  is  in  the  world,  outside  Chicago,  that  is 
unique.' 

^'  Applying  that  rule,"  continued  the  Senator,  stroll- 
ing up  and  down,  "  the  things  to  see  in  London  are  the 
Crystal  Palace  and  the  Albert  ^Memorial.  Especially 
the  Albert  Memorial.  That  was  a  man  who  played 
second  fiddle  to  his  wife,  and  enjoyed  it,  all  his  life 
long;  and  there  he  sits  in  ITvde  Park  to-day,  I  under- 
stand, still  receiving  the  respectful  homage  of  the  na- 
tion— the  only  case  on  record." 

"  Westminster  Abbey  would  be  much  better  for 
you,"  said  momma. 


' 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


27 


'*  Don't  you  think,"  I  put  in,  "  that  if  momma  is 
to  got  any  slccj) " 

''  Certainly.  Now,  another  thin<2:  that  IJranih'v  saitl 
was,  '  I.ook  here,'  lie  said,  '  rcmcmhcr  the  Unattainable 
Elsewhere — and  oct  it.  You're  likelv  to  be  in  London. 
Now  the  Unattainable  Elsewhere,  for  that  town,  is  jicn- 
tlemen's  suitings.  Eor  style,  price,  and  (luality  of  li'oods 
the  London  tailor  leads  the  known  universe.  Wick,' 
he  said — he  was  terribly  in  earnest — '  if  you  have  one 
hour  in  London,  leave  vour  measure!  '  " 

"  In  that  ease,"  said  momma,  sitting-  up  and  ascer- 
taining the  condition  of  her  hair,  "  you  would  like  me 
to  be  with  you,  love." 

Xow,  if  momma  doesn't  like  poppa's  clothes,  she 
always  gives  them  away  without  telling  him.  This 
would  be  thought  arbitrary  in  England,  and  I  have 
certainly  known  the  Senator  suddenly  reduced  to  great 
destitution  through  it,  but  America  is  a  free  country, 
and  there  is  no  law  to  compel  us  to  see  our  male  relations 
unbecomingly  clad  against  our  will. 

"  AVell,  to  tell  the  truth,  Augusta,"  said  poppa,  "  I 
would.  I'd  like  to  get  this  measure  through  by  a  unani- 
mous vote.  It  will  save  complications  afterwards.  But 
are  you  sure  you  wouldn't  rather  lie  down  ?  " 

Momma  replied  to  the  effect  that  she  wouldn't  mind 

his  going*  anywhere  else  alone,  but  this  was  important. 

She  put  her  gloves  on  as  she  spoke,  and  her  manner 

expressed  that  she  was  equal  to  any  personal  sacrifice 

for  the  end  in  view. 
8 


28 


A    VOVAGK  UF   CONSUL ATIOX. 


*'  Tl 


Coluncl  T»r:uiil('_v  liiid  ^ivcn  tlic  Senator  a  sartorial 
address  of  re|)Ute,  and  j)reseiitly  the  liansoin  drew  np 
lu't'ore  it,  in  I'ieeadilly.  Wc  went  about  as  a  family  in 
one  hansom  for  soeiahilitv. 

''  Look  iiere,  (h'ivcr,"  said  pojjpa  lliron<'h  tiie  roof, 
"  iiave  we  got  there ^  " 

The  cabman,  in  a  dramatic  and  resentful  manner, 
pointed  out  the  munber  with  his  whip. 

I'here's  the  address  as  was  given  to  mc,  sir." 
Well,    there's   nothing    to   get    mad    about,"   said 
poppa  sternly.     "  I'm  looking  for  Marcus  Trippit,  tailor 
and  outfitter." 

"  It's  all  right,  sir.  All  on  the  brass  plito  on  the 
door,  sir.     I  can  see  it  puilickly  from  'ere." 

'I'he  cabman  seemed  ajjpeased,  but  his  tone  was  still 
remonstrative. 

AVe  all  looked  at  the  door  with  the  brass  plate.  It 
was  flanked  on  one  side  by  the  offices  of  a  house  agent, 
on  the  other  by  a  su])erior  kxdving  restaurant. 

^'  There  isn't  the  sign  of  a  tailor  about  the  premises," 
said  poppa,  '^  except  his  name.  I  don't  like  the  look  of 
that." 

"  Perhaps,"  suggested  momma,  "  it's  his  private  ad- 
dress." 

"  "Well,  I  guess  we  don't  want  to  call  on  Marcus, 
especially  as  we've  got  no  proper  introduction.  Driver, 
that  isn't  Mr.  Trippit's  place  of  business.  It's  his 
home." 

We  all  craned  up  at  the  hole  in  the  roof  at  once, 


A    VUYAOK   OF  COXSOLATIUX. 


21) 


)rial 


if 


like  voiini''  Itinls,  and  we  all  distlnctlv  saw  \\iv  ilriwr 
smile. 

*'  So,  sir,  I  don't  lliiid<  'cM  put  it  uj)  like  that  that 
V  was  a  t;  Icr,  imt  ow  'is  privit  residence,  sir.  1  think 
you'll  find  the  business  i)reniises  on  the  fust  or  seeond 
floor,  likely." 

"Where's  his  window^"  the  Senator  <lenianded. 
"  Where's  his  display^  No,  I  don't  think  Marcus  will 
do  for  me.  I'm  not  confidin*^'  eiionj;h.  Now,  you  don't 
liappen  to  be  able  to  reconnnend  a  tailor,  do  you^" 

"  Yes,  sir,  1  can  take  you  to  a  ^(Mitleman  that'll  turn 
vou  out  as  'andsome  as  need  be.     Out  'Anipstead  wav, 


V  is." 


The  Senator  smiled.  ''  Aboi  ^  a  three-and-six[)enny 
fare,  eh?  "  he  said. 

''  Yes,  sir,  all  of  that." 

"  I  thouii'ht  so.  I  don't  mind  the  three  and  sixpence. 
You  can't  do  much  drivinpj  where  T  come  from  under  a 
dollar;  but  we've  only  got  about  twenty-four  hours  for 
the  liritisli  capital  altogether,  and  I  can't  spare  the 
time." 

"  Suppose  lie  drives  along  slowly,"  suggested 
monnna. 

"  Just  so.  Drive  along  slowlv  until  vou  come  to 
a  tailor  that  has  a  shoji,  do  you  see?  And  a  good-sized 
window,  with  waxwork  figures  in  it  to  show  off  the 
goods.    Then  let  me  hear  from  you  again." 

The  man's  expression  changed  to  on(j  of  cheerful- 
ness and  benignity.    "  Right  you  are,  sir,"  he  said,  and 


M 


30 


A  VOYAGE   OF  CONSOLATION. 


shut  down  tlio  door  in  a  manner  that  snggosted  entire 
appreciation  of  the  circumstances. 

"  I  think  we  can  trust  him,"  said  poppa.  Inside, 
therefore,  we  gave  ourselves  up  to  enjoyment  of  what 
momma  called  the  varied  panorama  around  us;  while, 
outside,  the  cabman  passed  in  critical  review  half  the 
gentleman's  outfitters  in  London.  It  was  momma  who 
finally  brought  him  to  a  halt,  and  the  establishment 
which  inspired  her  with  confidence  and  emulation  was 
inscribed  in  neat,  white  enamelled  letters,  Court  Tailors. 

As  we  entered,  a  person  of  serious  appearance  came 
forward  from  the  rear,  by  no  means  eagerly  or  inquir- 
ingly, but  with  a  grave  step  and  a  great  deal  of  deport- 
ment. I  fancy  he  looked  at  momma  and  me  with  slight 
surprise;  then,  with  his  hands  calmly  folded  and  his 
head  a  little  on  one  side,  he  gave  his  attention  to  the 
Senator.     But  it  was  momma  who  broke  the  silence. 

"  We  wish,"  said  momma,  ''  to  look  at  gentlemen's 
suitings." 

**  Yes,  madam,  certainly.  Is  it  for — for — : — "  He 
hesitated  in  the  embarrassed  way  only  affected  in  the 
very  best  class  of  establishments,  and  I  felt  at  ease  at 
once  as  to  the  probable  result. 

^'  For  this  gentleman,"  said  momma,  \vitli  a  wave 
of  her  hand. 

The  Senator,  being  indicated,  acknowledged  it. 
"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  I'm  your  subject.  But  there's  just 
one  thing  I  want  to  say.  I  haven't  got  any  use  for  a 
Court  suit,  because  where  I  live  we  haven't  got  any  use 


twr'  1"  ■  -■•■^ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


31 


\ 


for  Courts.  My  idea  would  be  something  aristocratic  in 
quality  but  democratic  in  cut — the  sort  of  thing  you 
would  make  up  for  a  member  of  Mr.  Gladstone's  family. 
Do  I  make  myself  clear?  " 

'"  Certainly,  sir.     Ordinary  morning  dress,  sir,  or  is 
it  evening  dress,  or  both?     AVill  you  kindly  step  this 


way,  sir? 


I") 


*'  We  will  all  step  this  way,"  said  momma. 

*'  It  would  be  a  morning  coat  and  waistcoat  then, 
sir,  would  it  not?  And  trousers  of  a  different — some- 
what lighter " 

''  Well,  no,"  the  Senator  replied.  "  Something  I 
coLild  wear  around  pretty  much  all  day." 

My  calm  regard  forbade  the  gentleman's  outfitter  to 
smile,  even  in  the  back  of  his  head. 

"  I  think  I  understand,  sir.  Xow,  here  is  something 
that  is  being  a  good  deal  worn  just  now.  Beautiful 
finish." 

*'  Xothing  irowv? ish,  thank  you,"  said  momma,  with 
decision. 

''  Xo,  madam?  Then  perhaps  you  would  prefer  this, 
sir.    More  on  the  iron  gray,  sir." 

^'  That  would  certainly  be  more  becoming,"  said 
momma.  ''And  I  like  that  invisible  line.  But  it's 
rather  too  woolly.  I'm  afraid  it  wouldn't  keep  its  ap- 
pearance.   AVhat  do  you  think,  .Mamie?  " 

"  Oh,  there's  no  it'oo/liness,  madam."  The  gentle- 
man's outfitter's  tone  implied  that  wool  was  the  last 
thing  he  would  care  to  have  anything  to  do  with.    "  It's 


32  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

tlio  nap.  And  as  to  the  apprarancc  of  these  goods  " — 
lie  smiled  slightly — ''  well,  we  put  our  reputation  on 
them,  that's  all.  1  can't  sav  more  than  that.  But  I 
have  the  same  thing  in  a  smooth  finish,  if  you  would 
prefer  it." 

"  I  think  I  would  prefer  it.  Wouldn't  you,  ^Famie?  " 

The  man  brought  the  same  thing  in  a  smooth  finish, 
and  looked  interrogatively  at  ])oppa. 

"  Oh,  I  prefer  it,  too,"  said  he,  with  a  profound  as- 
sumption of  intelligent  interest.  "  Were  you  thinking 
of  having  the  pants  made  of  the  same  material,  Au- 
gusta? " 

The  gentleman's  outfitter  suddenly  turned  hib  back, 
and  stood  thus  for  an  instant  struggling  with  something 
like  a  spasm.  Knowing  that  if  there's  one  thing  in  the 
world  monuna  hates  it's  the  exhibition  of  poppa's  sense 
of  humour,  I  walked  to  the  door.  AVlien  I  came  back 
they  were  measuring  the  Senator. 

"  AVill  vou  have  the  American  shoulder,  sir?  Most 
of  our  customers  prefer  it." 

"  Well,  no.  The  English  shoulder  would  be  more 
of  a  novelty  on  me.  You  sec  I  come  from  the  United 
States  myself." 

"Do  vou  indeed,  sir?" 

The  manners  of  some  tailors  might  be  emulated  in 
England. 

"  Tails  are  a  little  longer  than  the}''  were,  sir,  and 
waistcoats  cut  a  trifle  higher.  Xot  more  than  half  an 
inch  in  both  cases,  sir,  but  it  does  make  a  difference. 


'1>*U!W>»I     -(»'H)(IjlP»"«V«!""t|V»^l" 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


33 


Xow,  with  reference  to  the  coat,  sir;  will  you  have  it 
finished  with  braid  or  not^     Silk  braid,  of  course,  sir." 

"  Augusta  ^  "  deuiaiided  the  Senator. 

"  Is  braid  de  nouvcau?  "  asked  niomnia. 

"  Xot  precisely,  madam,  but  the  Prince  certainly  has 
worn  it  this  season  while  he  didn't  last." 

"  Do  you  refer  to  Wales?  "  asked  poppa. 

"  Yes,  sir.  He's  very  generally  mentioned  simply 
as  '  The  Prince.'  His  Royal  Highness  is  very  con- 
servative, so  to  speak,  about  such  things,  so  when  he 
takes  up  a  style  we  generally  count  on  its  lasting  at  least 
through  one  season.  I  can  assure  you,  sir,  the  Prince 
has  appeared  in  braid.  You  needn't  be  afraid  to  order 
it." 

"  I  think,"  put  in  momma,  "  that  braid  would  make 
a  verv  neat  finish,  love." 

Poppa  walked  slowly  towards  the  door,  considering 
the  matter.    With  his  hand  on  the  knob  he  turned  round. 

"  Xo,"  he  said,  ''  I  don't  think  that's  reason  enough 
for  me.  We're  both  men  in  public  positions,  but  I've 
got  nothing  in  common  with  Wales.  I'll  have  a  plain 
hem." 


■'"■-;-'tr — 'r.;    ;  "y  — -•T"*'"*:': 


CHAPTER   IV. 


"  If  there's  one  thing  I  hate,"  said  Senator  "Wick 
several  times  in  the  discussion  of  our  plans,  "  it's  to  see 
a  citizen  of  the  United  States  going  round  advertising 
himself.  If  you  analyse  it,  it's  a  mean  thing  to  do,  for 
it's  no  more  a  virtue  to  be  born  American  than  a  fault 
to  be  born  anything  else.  I'm  proud  of  my  nationality 
and  my  income  is  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  me,  but  I 
don't  intend  to  brandish  either  of  them  in  the  face  of 
Europe." 

It  was  this  principle  that  had  induced  poppa  to  buy 
tourist  tickets  second  clas?  by  rail,  first  class  by  steamer, 
all  through,  like  ordinary  English  people  on  eight  or 
nine  hundred  a  year.  Momma  and  I  thought  it  rather 
noble  of  him  and  resolved  to  live  up  to  it  if  possible, 
but  when  he  brought  forth  a  large  packet  of  hotel 
coupons,  guaranteed  to  produce  everything,  including 
the  deepest  respect  of  the  proprietors,  at  ten  shillings 
and  sixpence  a  day  apiece,  we  thought  he  was  making 
an  unnecessary  sacrifice  to  the  feelings  of  the  non- 
American  travelling  public. 

"  Two  dollars  and  a  half  a  day!  "  momma  ejaculated. 

"  Were  there  no  more  expensive  ones? " 

34 


_Li 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


35 


"  If  there  had  heen,"  poi)[)a  confessed,  ''  I  woidd 
have  taken  them.  But  these  were  the  best  they  had. 
And  I  understand  it's  a  popular,  sensible  way  of  travel- 
ling. I  told  the  young  man  that  the  one  thing  we  wished 
to  avoid  was  ostentation,  and  he  said  that  these  coupons 
would  be  a  complete  protection." 

"  There  must  be  some  way  of  paying  more,"  said 
momma  pathetically,  looking  at  the  paper  books  of 
tickets,  held  together  by  a  quantity  of  little  holes.  "  Do 
they  actually  include  everything^" 

^'  Even  wine,  I  understand,  where  it  is  the  custom 
of  the  hotel  to  provide  it  without  extra  charge,  and  in 
Switzerland  honev  with  vour  breakfast,"  the  Senator 
responded  firmly.  "  I  never  made  a  UKjre  interesting 
purchase.  There  before  us  lie  our  beds,  breakfasts, 
luncheons,  dinners,  lights,  and  attendance  for  the  next 
six  weeks." 

^'  It  is  full  of  the  most  dramatic  possibilities,"  I 
remarked,  looking  at  the  packet. 

"  It  seems  to  me  a  kind  of  attempt  to  coerce  Provi- 
dence," said  momma,  "  as  much  as  to  say,  '  AVhatever 
happens  to  the  world,  T  am  determined  to  have  my  bed, 
breakfast,  luncheon,  dinner,  lights,  and  attendance  for 
six  weeks  to  come.'     Is  it  not  presumptuous?" 

"  It's  very  reasonable,"  said  the  Senator,  "  and  that's 
the  principal  thing  you've  got  against  it,  Augusta.  It's 
remarkably,  pictorially  cheap."  The  Senator  put  the 
little  books  in  their  detachable  cover,  snapped  the  elastic 
round  them  and  restored  the  whole  to  his  inside  pocket. 


36 


A  VOYAOE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  You  uiiijlit  almost  siiy  cnjovably  clioa}),  if  you  know 
what  I  iiicnu.  The  inoxpeiisivonoss  of  Europe,"  lie 
continncd,  ''  is  g'oiiif^  to  be  a  great  cliariu  for  me.  I 
intend  to  revel  in  it." 

I  am  always  diseovering  ])()ints  about  poppa  the 
existenee  of  which  I  liad  not  suspected.  Ilis  apprecia- 
tion of  the  joy  of  small  prices  had  been  concealed  in  him 
up  to  this  date,  and  I  congratulated  him  warmly  upon 
its  appearance.  I  believe  it  is  inherent  in  primitive 
tribes  and  in  all  Englishmen,  but  protective  tariffs  and 
other  intluences  are  rapidly  eradicating  it  in  Americans, 
who  should  be  condoled  with  on  this  point,  more  than 
tliev  usually  are. 

V  t-' 

We  were  on  our  wav  to  Paris  after  a  niiraculous 
escape  of  the  Channel.  So  calm  it  was  that  we  had 
almost  held  our  breaths  in  our  anxiety  lest  the  wind 
should  rise  before  we  got  over.  Dieppe  lay  behind  us, 
and  momma  at  the  window  declared  that  she  could 
hardly  believe  she  was  looking  out  at  !N"ormandy. 
Monuna  at  the  window  was  enjoying  herself  immensely 
in  the  midst  of  Liberty  silk  travelling  cushions,  supported 
by  her  smelling-bottle,  and  engaged  apparently  in  the 
realisation  of  long-cherished  dreams. 

"  There  tliev  are  in  a  row!  "  she  exclaimed.  "  How 
lovely  to  see  them  standing  up  in  that  stiff,  unnatural 
way  just  as  they  do  in  the  pictures." 

Poppa  and  I  rushed  raptly  to  the  window,  but  dis- 
covered nothing  remarkable. 

"  To  see  what,  Augusta?  "  demanded  he. 


Momma  \va>  enjoying  lierself. 


i    i 


h 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  37 

"  The  Xoriuaiidy  poplars,  love.  Aren't  you  awfully 
disappointed  in  tliemlf     I  am.     So  wooden!  " 

Poppa  said  he  didn't  know  that  he  ha<l  Keen  relying 
nuK'h  on  the  poplar  feature  of  tiic^  scenery,  and  returned 
to  his  weary  search  for  Anierii-an  telegrams  in  a  London 
daily  ])aper. 

"  Dear  me,"  momma  ejaculated,  '"  I  never  supposed 
I  should  see  them  doing  it!  And  right  along  the  line 
of  the  railway,  too!  " 

''  See  them  doing  it!  "  I  repeated,  searching  the  land- 
scape. 

"  The  women  working  in  the  fields,  darling  love. 
Garnering  the  grain,  all  in  that  nice  mo(hM'ate  shade  of 
blue-electric,  shouldn't  you  call  it?  There — there's  an- 
other! Xo,  you  can't  see  her  now.  France  is  fascinut- 
ing!" 

Poppa  abruptly  folded  the  newspajier.  "  I've  learnt 
a  great  deal  more  than  I  wanted  to  know  about  ^^lada- 
gascar,"  said  he,  "  and  I  understand  that  there's  a  likeli- 
hood of  the  London  voter  being  called  to  arms  to  pre- 
vent High  Church  trustees  introducing  candles  and  in- 
cense into  the  opening  exercises  of  the  public  schools. 
I've  read  eleven  different  accounts  of  a  battle  in  Korea, 
and  an  article  on  the  fauna  and  flora  of  Bcduchistan, 
very  well  written.  And  I  see  it's  stated,  on  good  author- 
ity, that  the  Queen  drove  out  yesterday  accompanied  by 
the  Princess  Beatrice.  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  got 
more  information  for  two  cents  in  my  life.  But  for 
news — Great  Scott!     I  I'noiv  more  news  than  there  is 


n 


i 


38  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

in  that  paper!  Tlic  editor  ouglit  to  he  invited  to  come 
over  and  discover  America.'' 

"  Here's  something  ahoiit  America,"  I  protested, 
^'  from  Cliicago,  too.  A  wliole  colnmn — '  ^Movements 
of  Cereals.'  " 

"  Yes,  and  look  at  that  for  a  nice  attractive  head- 
line," res])onde(l  the  Senator  with  sarcasm.  "  '  ^love- 
ments  of  Cereals!  '  (Jives  you  a  great  idea  of  pace, 
doesn't  it^  Whv  couldn't  thev  have  called  it  '  (Jrain  on 
the  Go  T' 

"■  J)i<l  Air.  AlcConnell  get  in  for  Masor,  or  Jimmy 
Fagan?  "  1  in(|uired,  looking  down  the  cohunn. 

''  Thev  don't  seem  to  have  asked  anyhodv." 

''  And  who  got  the  Post  OfMce^  " 

''  Xot  there,  not  there,  my  child !  " 

"Oh!"  said  monuna  at  the  window,  "these  little 
grav-stone  villages  are  too  sweet  for  words.  AVhv  talk 
of  Chicago?  Mr.  McConnell  and  Mr.  Fagan  are  all  very 
well  at  home,  but  now  that  the  ocean  heaves  between  us, 
and  your  political  campaign  is  over,  may  we  not  for- 
get them?  " 

"  Forget  Mike  McConnell  and  Jimmy  Fagan!  "  re- 
plied the  Senator,  regarding  a  passing  church  spire  with 
an  absent  smile.  "Well,  no,  Augusta;  as  far  as  I'm 
concerned  I'm  afraid  it  couldn't  be  done — at  all  perma- 
nently. There's  too  nmcli  involved.  But  I  see  what 
you  mean  about  turning  the  mind  out  to  pasture  when 
the  grazing  is  interesting — getting  in  a  cud,  so  to  speak, 
for  reflection  afterwards.    I  see  vour  idea." 


A    VOYAGE  OF   CONSOLATION. 


30 


Tlio  Senator  is  jilwjiys  Imsincss-Iike.  lie  iniincdi- 
atoly  a<l<ln'ss('(l  liiinsclf  tliroujili  the  otiicr  window  to 
the  appreciation  of  tlie  scenerv,  and  I  f(dt,  as  I  took  out 
my  note-hook  to  reeord  one  «»r  two  inipres«ions,  that  he 
wouM  (h>  it  jnstice. 

*'  No,  nionmia,"  F  was  inunediatoly  eonipelled  to  cx- 
(daini,  "  von  ninstn't  look  over  mv  shonhh'r.  It  is 
paralysing  to  the  inia<;ination." 

"  Then  I  won't,  dear.  J  hit  oli,  if  yon  eould  only 
deseribe  it  as  it  is!  The  mined  ehateanx,  tree-em- 
bosomed  "    ^1  omnia  paused. 

''  The  gray  ehnrch  spires,  from  which  at  eventide 
the  Angehis  eomes  pealing — or  stealing,"  she  continued. 
"  Perhaps  '  stealing  '  is  better. 

"  Above  all  the  poplars — the  ])oj)lars  are  very  char- 
acteristic, dear.  And  the  women  toilers  in  the  sunset 
fields  garnering  up  the  golden  grain.  You  might  ex- 
claim, '  Why  are  they  always  in  blue? '  Have  you  got 
that  down  ?  " 

"  They  were  making  bay,"  pojipa  corrected.  "  But 
I  suppose  the  public  won't  know  the  difference,  any 
more  than  you  did." 

]\ronuna  leaned  forward,  clasping  her  smelling-bottle, 
and  looked  out  of  the  window  with  a  smile  of  exalta- 
tion. 

"  The  cows,"  she  went  on,  "  the  proud-legged  Xor- 
man  cows  standing  knee-deep  in  the  quiet  pools.  Have 
you  got  the  cows  down,  dear?  " 

The  Senator,  at  the  other  window,  looked  across  dls- 


40 


A    VOYAGE  OF   CONSOLATION. 


I      I 


para^iiiiilv,  lianl  at  work  on  liis  Ix'anl.  lie  sai<l  notli- 
iii^',  hut  al'fcr  a  time  aliniptly  tlirust  his  liands  in  his 
I)<)ci<('ts,  and  liis  feet  out  in  front  of  him  in  a  manner 
whicli  ex))resse(l  al)solute  dissent.  Wlien  inonmia  said 
slie  thouj^ht  she  would  try  U)  ^ct  a  littU>  sU'ep  he  htoked 
round  ol)servantIy,  and  as  soon  as  her  slundu-r  was  sound 
and  ('omfortal)h'  he  beekoiied  to  me. 

*'  Sec  here,"  he  said,  not  unkindly,  arn'umentatively. 
"  About  those  eows.  In  fact,  about  all  these  ])ointers 
your  mother's  been  giving  you.  They're  all  very  nice 
and  poetic — I  don't  want  to  run  down  momma's  ideas — 
but  thev  don't  strike  me  as  original.  I  won't  sav  I  could 
put  my  iinger  on  it,  but  I'm  jierfectly  certain  I've  heard 
of  the  ])oplars  and  the  women  held  lal)ourers  of  Xor- 
mandy  somewhere  befori'.  She  doesn't  do  it  on  pur- 
pose " — the  Senator  incdined  his  head  with  de{)recation 
toward  the  slee])ing  form  o})posite,  and  lowered  his  voice 
— "  and  I  don't  know  that  I'd  mention  it  to  vou  under 
any  other  circumstances,  i)ut  momma's  a  fearful  pla- 
giarist. She  doesn't  hesitate  anywhere.  I've  known 
her  do  it  to  AVilliam  Shakes])eare  and  the  Book  of  Job, 
let  alone  modern  jiuthors.  In  dealing  with  her  sugges- 
tions you  want  to  be  very  careful.  Otherwise  momma'll 
get  yon  into  trouble." 

I    nodded    with    affectionate    consideration.      "  I'll 
make  a  note  of  what  you  say.  Senator,"  I  replied,  and 
inmiediately,  from  motives  of  delicacy,  we  changed  the 
subject.    As  we  talked,  poppa  told  me  in  confidence  how. 
much  he  expected  of  the  democratic  idea  in  Paris.     He 


A  VOYAGE   OF  CONSOLATION. 


41 


said  tliiit  even  tlic  sliort  time  we  had  spent  in  Kti^laiid 
wjis  ciioii^li  to  ciialili'  liiiii  to  dctfct  tlic  sidiscrvicncv 
of  the  lower  chisses  there  and  t(»  rcMiit  it,  as  a  man  and 
a  brother,  lie  spoixc  sadiv  and  soniewiiat  iiitterlv  of  the 
manners  of  tiie  i)rother  man  wiio  shaved  Jnin,  widcii  he 
fonnd  nnjustitiahly  aiVahie,  and  (d'  the  ine\('nsai>h'  ai>:ise- 
ment  of  a  Ih'itisii  railwav  |)ort<'r  if  von  ^ave  iiiin  a  shil- 
ling. Jle  said  he  was  <;Iji(l  to  h'ave  Kn^land,  it  was  de- 
moralising' to  live  there;  von  lost  your  sense  of  the  dig- 
nity of  lahonr,  and  in  the  eonrse  of  time  son  were  almost 
bound  to  de<i('nerate  into  a  sw(dl.  He  ex|)ressed  a  ^ood 
deal  of  svmpathv  with  the  aristocracy  on  this  account, 

fit  I  / 

concentrating'  his  indiiination  nj)on  tho>e  who,  as  it  were, 
made  aristocrats  oi  innocent  hnman  hein^-s  a<;'ainst  their 
will.  It  was  more  than  he  would  have  ventured  to  sav 
in  ])ul)lic,  bnt  in  talkinn'  to  me  j)o])|)a  often  mentions 
what  a  comfort  it  is  to  he  his  own  mouthj)iece. 

''  The  best  tliin<^'  about  these  tourists'  tickets  is,"  said 
the  Senator  as  we  approached  l*aris,  "  that  they  entitle 
you  to  the  use  of  an  interju'eter.  He  is  said  to  be  found 
on  all  station  platforms  of  imixtrtance,  and  I  presume 
he's  standinji'  there  waitiui*'  for  us  now.  I  take  it  we're 
at  liberty  to  tap  his  knowledire  of  the  lanti'ua<j,e  in  any 
moment  of  difKculty  just  as  if  it  were  (mv  own." 

Ten  minutes  later  the  carriage  doors  were  openin<^ 
upon  Paris,  and  the  Senator's  eaiile  eye  was  searching 
the  crowded  platform  for  this  ofHcial.  Onr  vague  idea 
was  that  the  interpreter  would  be  a  conspicuous  and 
permanent  object  like  a  nickle-in-the-slot  machine,  auto- 


I 


42      '  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

matically  arranged  to  "»pon  liis  arms  to  tourists  pre- 
senting the  riglit  tickets,  and  emit  conversation.  When 
we  finally  detected  him,  by  his  cap,  he  was  shifting  im- 
easily  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  inquirers.  His  face 
was  pale,  his  beard  pointed,  his  expression  that  of  a 
person  constantly  interrupted  in  many  languages.  The 
crowd  A'-as  parting  to  permit  him  to  escape,  when  we 
filled  up  the  available  avenue  and  confronted  him. 

"  Are  you  the  linguist  that  goes  with  our  tickets?  " 
asked  the  Senator. 

"  I  am  ze  interpretare  yes,  but  weez  ze  tickets  I  go 
not,  no.  All-ways  I  stay  here  in  zis  place,  nowheres  I 
go."  lie  stood  at  bay,  so  to  speak,  frowning  fiercely 
as  he  replied,  and  then  made  another  bolt  for  liberty, 
but  po[)pa  laid  a  compelling  hand  upon  his  arm. 

"  If  it's  all  the  same  to  you,"  said  poppa,  firmly, 
*^  I've  got  ladies  with  me,  and " 

"  Yes  certainly  you  get  presently  your  tronks.  You 
see  zat  door  beside  many  people?  Immediately  it  open 
you  go  and  show  ze  customs  man.  You  got  no  duty 
thing,  it  is  all  riglit.  You  call  one  fiacre — carriage — 
and  go  at  your  hotel." 

"  Oh,"  exclaimed  momma,  "  is  there  any  charge  on 
nerve  tincture,  please?  It's  entirely  for  my  personal 
use." 

"  It's  only  on  cigars  and  eau-de-Cologne,  isn't  it? " 
I  entreated. 

"  Which  door  did  you  say?"  asked  the  Senator.  "I'd 
be  obliged  if  you  would  speak  more  slowly.     There's 


^ 


■       WilH-"       ^11    MUPII*. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


43 


no  cause  for  excitement.  From  here  I  can  see  fourteen 
doors,  and  I  saw  our  luggage  go  in  by  this  door." 

"  You  don't  believe  wat  I  say!  Very  wvUl  AH  zc 
same  it  is  zat  door  beside  all  ze  people  wat  want  zero 
troilks!  " 

"  All  right,"  said  tlie  Senator  pacifically.  "  How 
you  do  boil  over!  I  tell  you  one  thing,  my  friend," 
he  added,  as  the  interpreter  washed  his  hands  of  us,  "you 
may  be  a  necessity  to  the  travelling  public,  but  you're 
not  a  luxury,  in  any  sense  of  the  word.'^ 


CHAPTER  V. 


1 1 


I  i 


The  Senator,  discovering  to  liis  surprise  that  tlic 
hotel  clerk  was  a  lady,  lifted  his  hat.  He  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  snrprised,  that  wasn't  the  Senator's  way, 
bnt  he  forgot  what  he  had  to  say,  which  proved  it. 
While  he  was  hesitating  she  looked  at  him  humorously 
and  said  "  Good  evening,  sir!  "  She  was  a  florid  person 
who  wore  this  sense  of  humour  between  hard  blue  eyes 
and  an  iron  jaw.  Momma  took  a  passionate  dislike  to 
her  on  the  spot. 

"  Oh,  then  you  do,"  said  poppa.  "  You  parlay 
Anglay.  That's  a  good  thing  I'm  sure,  for  I  know 
mighty  little  Fransay.  May  I  ask  what  sort  of  accom- 
modation you  can  give  Mrs.  Wick,  Miss  Wick,  and  my- 
self for  to-night?    Anything  on  the  first  floor? '' 

''  AVhat  rooms  you  require  are  one  double  one  single, 

yes?     Certainly.     Francois,  trente-cinq  et  trente-huit.'' 

She  handed  Francois  the  keys  and  her  sense  of  humour 

disappeared  in  a  smile  which  told  poppa  that  he  might, 

if  he  liked,  consider  her  a  fine  woman.     lie,  wishing 

doubtless  to  bask  in  it  to  the  fullest  extent,  produced  his 

book  of  tickets. 

^'  I  expect  you've  seen  these  before,"  he  said,  ap- 

44 


it. 


ap- 


1 

ri 


"  1    expect   you've  seen   tlicse  before. 


fwmmsw  " 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  45 

parciitly  for  the  pleasure  of  contimiing  the  eonversu- 
tion. 

As  lier  eve  fell  upon  them  a  l(»ok  of  startled  cvnici.-iii 
suddenly  replaced  the  smile.  Her  eynieism  was  para- 
doxical, she  was  so  large,  and  sound  and  \v1k'  some,  and 
the  more  irritating  on  this  account. 

''  You  'ave  the  coupons!  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Ah-a- 
ah !  "  in  a  crescendo  of  astonishment  at  our  du])licity. 
"  Then  I  'ave  made  one  mistake.  Francois!  Those  lirst 
floor  rooms  they  are  already  taken.  IJut  on  the  third 
floor  are  two  good  beautiful  rooms.  IMiere  is  also  the 
lift — vou  can  use  the  lift." 

I. 

''  I  can't  dispute  with  a  hidy,"  said  ])o]ipa,  "  but 
that  is  singular.  I  should  prefer  those  first  floor  rooms 
which  wro  not  taken  until  1  mentioned  the  coupons." 

"Sare!" 

The  lady's  eye  was  unflinching,  and  poppa  <]uailed. 
He  looked  ashamed,  as  if  he  had  been  caught  in  telling 
a  story.  They  made  a  picture,  as  he  stood  there  pulling 
his  beard,  of  American  chivalry  and  Gallic  guile,  which 
was  almost  jiathetic. 

"  AVell,"  said  he,  ''  as  it's  necessary  that  ^Irs.  AVick 
should  lie  down  as  soon  as  possible  you  might  show  us 
those  third  floor  rooms." 

Then  he  recovered  his  diaiiitv  and  alanced  at  ^la- 
dame  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger.  ''  Certainly,  sare," 
she  said  severely.  "  Will  vou  use  the  lift  i  For  the  lift 
there  is  no  sharge." 

"  That,"  said  the  Senator,  '^  is  real  liberal."    In  mo- 


i^< 


46  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION". 

nients  of  oiiiotion  jjoppa  often  dropped  into  an  Ameri- 
canism. "  Jf  it's  a  serious  offer  1  think  we  irill  use  the 
lift." 

At  a  nod  from  ]\[adame,  Francois  went  away  to  seek 
the  man  belonging  to  the  lift,  and  after  a  time  returned 
with  him.  The  lady  produced  another  key,  with  which 
the  man  belonging  to  the  lift  unlocked  the  door  of  the 
brass  cage  which  guarded  it. 

"  You  must  find  strangers  very  dishonest,  madam," 
said  the  Senator  courteously  as  we  stepped  inside,  '"  to 
render  such  a  precaution  necessary." 

But  before  we  arrived  at  the  third  floor  we  were 
convinced  that  it  was  unnecessarv.  It  was  not  an  ele- 
vator  that  the  most  burglarious  would  have  cared  to  take 
away. 

So  manv  Americans  surrounded  the  breakfast  table 
next  morning  that  we  might  almost  have  imagined  our- 
selves in  Chicago.  A  small,  young  priest  with  furtive 
brown  eves  cowered  at  one  of  the  side  tables,  and  at  an- 
other  a  broad-shouldered,  unsmiling  lady,  dressed  in 
black,  with  brows  and  a  sliglit  moustache  to  nuitch,  dis- 
pensed food  to  a  sallow  and  shrinking  object  of  preter- 
naturally  serious  aspect  who  seemed  to  be  her  husband, 
and  a  little  boy  who  kept  an  anxious  eye  on  them  both. 
They  were  French,  too,  but  all  the  people  who  sat  up  and 
down  the  long  middle  table  belonged  to  the  United 
States  of  America.  They  were  there  in  groups  and  in 
families  representing  different  localities  and  different 
social  positions — as  momma  said,  you  had  only  to  look 


A  VOYAGE  OF  COXSOLATIOX. 


47 


at  tlioir  shouMor  soanis;  and  oacli  group  or  family  re- 
ceived the  advances  of  the  next  with  the  j)<>Hte  toler- 
ance, head  a  little  on  one  side,  which  characteris(>s  lis 
when  we  don't  know  each  other's  hiisiness  standing  or 
church  ineinbership;  hut  the  tide  of  conversation  which 
ebbed  and  flowed  had  a  ilavoiir  which  made  the  table  a 
geographical  unit.  1  say  "  flavour,"  because  there  was 
certainly  something,  but  I  am  now  incdined  to  think  with 
Mr.  Page  that  "  accent  "  is  rather  too  stnmg  a  word 
to  describe  it.  At  all  events,  the  gratification  of  hear- 
ing it  after  his  temporary  exile  in  Great  Britain  almost 
brought  tears  to  the  Senator's  eyes.  Tiiere  were  only 
three  vacant  places,  and,  as  we  took  them,  making  the 
national  circle  complete,  a  little  smile  wavered  round 
the  table.  It  was  a  proud,  conscious  smile;  it  indicated 
that  though  we  might  not  be  on  terms  of  intimacy  we 
recognised  ourselves  to  be  immensely  and  uniformly 
American,  and  considerably  the  biggest  fraction  of  the 
travelling  public.  As  poppa  said,  the  i)revailing  feeling 
was  also  American,  As  he  was  tucking  his  napkin  into 
his  waistcoat,  and  ordering  our  various  breakfasts,  the 
gentleman  who  sat  next  to  him  listened — he  could  not 
help  it — fidgetted,  and  finally,  with  some  embarrass- 
ment, sj)oke. 

'^  I  don't  know,  sir,"  he  said,  '*  whether  you're  aware 
of  it — I  i)resume  you're  a  stranger,  like  myself — but  all 
thev  allow  for  what  thev  call  breakfast  in  this  hotel  is 
tea  or  coffee,  rolls,  and  butter;  everything  else  is  charged 


extra. 


)> 


■■   Wi  I     " 


48  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

Po|)l>ii  wns  toiiclicd.  As  he  said  to  me  aftcrwai'd, 
who  hut  an  Aiiicricaii  would  have  taken  tlie  tronhlo 
to  tell  a  stranger  a  tliinji,"  hke  tliat!  Not  an  EngHsh- 
nian,  certainly — he  would  see  you  hankrupt  first!  lie 
disguised  liis  own  sojihistieation,  and  said  lie  was  very 
imieh  ohhged,  and  he  almost  apologised  for  not  heing 
ahle  to  take  advantage  of  the  information,  and  stick  to 
coffee  and  rolls. 

"  But  the  fact  is,"  he  said  in  self-defence,  "  we  may 
get  hack  for  lunch  and  we  may  not." 

"  That's  all  right,"  the  gentleman  replied  with  dis- 
tinct relief.  "  I  didn't  mind  the  omelette  or  the  sole, 
but  when  it  came  to  fried  chicken  and  strawberries  I 
jnst  had  to  speak  out.  You  going  to  make  a  long  stay 
in  Parish' 

As  they  launched  to  conversation  momma  and  I 
glanced  at  each  other  with  mutual  congratuhition.  It 
was  at  last  obvious  that  the  Senator  was  going  to  enjoy 
his  European  experiences;  we  had  been  a  little  doubt- 
ful about  it.  Left  to  ourselves,  we  discussed  our  break- 
fast and  the  waiters,  the  only  French  people  we  could 
see  from  where  we  sat,  and  expressed  our  annoyance, 
which  was  great,  at  being  offered  tooth-picks,  I  was  so 
hungry  that  it  was  only  when  I  asked  for  a  third  large 
roll  that  T  noticed  momma  regarding  me  with  mild  dis- 
approval. 

"  l  fear,"  slie  said  with  a  little  sigh,  "  that  you  arc 
thinking  very  little  of  what  is  past  and  gone,  love." 

"  Momma,"  I  replied,  '"  don't  spoil  my  breakfast." 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


49 


AVlicn  nioniiiui  can  throw  an  emotional  chill  over  any- 
thing, 1  never  knew  her  to  refrain.  *'  1  should  like  that 
(jCDXon  to  bring  nie  some  more  bread,"  1  eontinneil. 

!Monnna  sighed  even  more  deeply.  '*  You  may  have 
part  of  mine,"  she  replied,  breaking  it  with  a  gesture 
that  said  such  callousness  she  could  not  understand. 
Her  manner  for  the  next  few  minutes  ex[)ressed  dis- 
tinctly that  she,  at  least,  meant  to  do  her  duty  by 
Arthur. 

Presently  from  the  other  side  of  })oppa  came  the 
words,  "  JVo/  AVick  of  Chicago!  " 

"  I  guess  I  can't  deny  it,"  said  poppa. 

"Senator  Wick^' 

Poppa  lowered  his  voice.  "  If  it's  all  the  same  to 
you,"  he  said,  "  not  for  the  i)resent.  Just  plain  Joshua 
P.  AVick.  I'm  not  what  vou  call  travelling  incognito, 
do  you  se(>,  but,  so  far  as  the  U.  S.  Senate  is  concerned, 
I  haven't  got  it  with  me." 

"  Well,  sir,  1  won't  uicntion  it  again.  Hut  all  the 
same,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  say  so,  I  am  pleased  to 
meet  you,  sir — very  phrased.  I  su|)pose  they  wired  you 
that  Mike  ^McConnell's  got  the  Post  Ollice." 

Poppa  held  out  his  hand  in  an  instant  of  speechless 
gratitude.  "  Sir,"  he  said,  "  they  did  not.  Put  it  there. 
I  said  no  wires  and  no  letters,  and  I've  been  sorry  for 
it  ever  since.  ^Fomma,"  he  continued,  *'  daughter,  allow 
me  to  present  to  you  Mr.  ^ — ^Ir.  Malt,  who  has  heard 
by  cablegram  that  our  friend  Mr.  ^IcConnell  is  Post- 
master-General of  Chicago." 


■(qm^ww"  ■*•" 


50 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


^roninia  was  fjrntcful,  tr)o,  tliougli  slio  oxprosscd  it 
somewhat  more  distantly.  Momiiia  has  a  great  deal  <»f 
iiianner  witii  strangers;  it  sometimes  completely  dis- 
guises her  real  feeling  toward  them.  1  was  also  grateful, 
though  1  mendy  bowed,  and  kicked  the  Senator  mider 
tlie  table.  Xobody  would  have  guessed  from  our  out- 
ward bearing  the  extent  to  which  our  jujlitical  fortunes, 
as  a  family,  were  mixed  u}»  with  Mike  McConnell's.  Mr. 
Alalt  immediately  said  that  if  there  was  anything  else 
he  coidd  do  for  us  he  was  at  our  service. 

"  AVell,"  said  poppa,  "  I  suppose  there's  a  good  deal 
of  intrinsic  interest  in  this  town — relics  of  Napoleon, 
the  lion  -Marche,  and  so  on — and  we've  got  to  see  it. 
I  must  say,"  he  added,  turning  to  momma,  ""  I  feel  con- 
siderably more  ecpud  to  it  now." 

''  It  will  take  you  a  good  long  week,"  said  Mr.  Malt 
earnestly,  "  to  begin  to  have  an  idea  of  it.  You  might 
spend  two  whole  days  in  the  Louvre  itself.  Is  your  time 
limited  r' 

'"  I  don't  need  to  tell  anv  American  the  market  value 
of  it,"  said  poi)pa  snuling. 

''  Then  you  can't  do  better  than  go  straight  to  the 
Louvre.  I'd  be  pleased  to  accompany  you,  only  I've  got 
to  go  round  and  see  our  Ambassador — I've  got  a  little 
business  with  him.  I  daresav  vou  know  that  one  of  our 
man-of-war  ships  is  lying  right  down  here  in  the  Seine 
river.  AVell,  the  captain  is  giving  a  reception  to-morrow 
in  honour  of  the  Kussian  Admiral  who  happens  to  be 
there,  too.    I've  got  ladies  with  me  and  I  wrote  for  four 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  51 

tickets.  Did  I  ^ct  tlir  four  tickets — or  two  of  tiiem  — 
or  oiie^  No,  sir,  I  i-ot  a  letter  in  the  third  person  sin- 
gular saying  it  wasn't  a  })ul)lic  entertainjuent !  I  wrote 
back  to  say  I  guessed  it  was  an  American  entertainment, 
and  he  could  ex[)ect  me,  all  the  same,  lie  hadn't  any 
sort  of  excuse — my  name  and  business  address  were  on 
my  letter  paper.  Xow  I'm  just  going  round  to  see  what 
a  United  States  Aml)assad(jr's  for,  in  this  connection.'' 

^Ir.  ^Malt  rose  and  the  waiter  withdrew  his  chair. 
*^  Thank  you,  (juixon,^^  said  he.  "  I'm  coming  hack 
again — do  you  understands  This  is  not  my  last  meal," 
and  the  waiter  bowed  as  if  that  were  a  statement  which 
had  to  be  acknowh'dged,  l)ut  was  of  the  least  i)ossiblo 
eonse(pience  to  him  personally.  "  Well,  Mr.  Wick,'^ 
continued  Mr.  Malt,  brushing  th(»  crumbs  from  his  waist- 
coat. "  I'll  sav  ffood  mornin<>\  and  to  vour  ladies  also. 
I'm  very  [)leased  to  have  met  you." 

"  AVell,"  said  monnna,  as  he  disappeared,  "  if  every 
American  in  Paris  lias  decided  to  go  to  that  reception 
there  won't  be  much  room  for  the  Russians." 

"  I  suppose  he's  a  voter  and  a  tax-payer,  and  he's 
got  his  feelings,"  replied  ])oppa.  The  Senator  would  de- 
fend a  voter  and  a  tax-])ayer  against  any  imputation  not 
actually  criminal. 

'"  I'm  glad  I'm  not  one  of  his  lady-friends,"  momma 
continned.  "  I  don't  think  I  cuuld  make  myself  at  home 
on  that  man-of-war  under  the  circumstances.  I>ut  I 
daresay  he'll  drag  them  there  with  him.  lie  seems  to 
be  just  that  kind  of  a  man." 


■mnaa 


62 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  He's  a  very  patriotic  kind  of  a  man,"  rep'  vd 'tlic 
Senator.  "  It's  liis  j)atriotisni,  don't  you  see,  tliat's  giv- 
ing liini  all  tliirt  trouldc.  It's  licen  outraged.  Personally 
J  eonsider  Mr.  Malt  a  very  intcdligent  gentleman,  and 
if  he'd  given  me  an  o|)ening  as  big  as  the  eye  of  a  needle 
I'm  tlie  camel  that  would  have  gone  with  him,  Augusta. '* 

This  statement  of  the  Senator'a  struck  me  as  some- 
tliing  to  he  acted  upon.  If  there  was  to  he  u  constant 
possihility  of  his  going  off  with  any  chance  American 
in  regular  connnunication  with  the  Fnited  States,  our 
European  tour  would  he  a  good  deal  less  interesting 
than  1  had  been  led  to  expect.  AVhile  momnui  was  get- 
ting ready  for  the  Louvre,  therefore,  I  stej)})ed  down  to 
the  office  and  wired  our  itinerary  to  his  jiartner  in  Chi- 
cago. "  Kee})  up  daily  communication  hy  wire  in  de- 
tail," I  telegraj)hed,  "  forward  copies  all  important  let- 
ters care  Peters."  iV'ters  was  the  tourist  au'ent  who  had 
undertaken  to  hless  our  comings  and  goings.  T  said 
nothing  whatever  to  p(>ppa,  hut  T  fcdt  a  glow  of  con- 
scious triuni|)h  when  I  thought  of  Mr.  ^lalt. 

We  stood  and  realised  Paris  on  the  ])avement  while 
the  fiacre  turncMl  in  from  the  road  and  drew  up  for  us. 
I  had  (>verv  int(Mition  of  heiug  fascimited  and  so  had 
mouiuia.  We  luid  both  heard  often  and  often  that  good 
Americans  wlien  they  die  go  to  Paris,  and  that  prepares 
one  for  a  good  deal  in  this  life.  AVe  were  so  anxious 
to  he  pleased  that  we  fastened  with  one  accord  u])on 
the  florist's  shop  under  the  hotel  aud  said  that  it  was 
uni(j[U(dy   charming,   though   we  both   knew   places   in 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


53 


lirondway  tliat  it  L-uiiMn't  be  compare*!  with.  We  lo«fl<»(l 
ainial)Iy  at  tlic  pas.scrs-ljv,  ami  did  our  best  to  dctoct  m 
tlic  iiianncr  of  their  faces  tiiat  esprit  tliat  iiiatces  tlie  «lia- 
h)gue  of  I'Veiicli  novels  so  stiiniihitiiig.  What  I  usually 
thought  1  saw  when  they  looked  at  ns  was  a  leisurely 
inditferentisni  ornamented  with  \\iv  suspicion  of  a  sneer, 
and  hased  upon  a  certain  fundamental  actpiisitivenes; 
and  ahilitv  to  make  a  valuation  that  acknowle(ln('(l  tlu, 
desirahility  of  our  presence  on  business  grounds,  if  not 
on  j)ersonal  ones.  It  seemed  to  be  a  j)roc(nicerted  public 
intention  to  make  as  much  noise  in  a  given  space  as 
possible — we  sj)oke  of  the  cheerfulness  of  it,  stoj)j)ing 
our  oars.  The  cracking  of  the  drivers'  whips  alone  made 
a  feu  tie  joir  that  never  ceased,  and  listening  to  it  we 
knew  that  wo  ought  to  feel  haj)py  and  elato(L  Tlic 
driver  of  our  fiacre  was  fat  and  rubicund,  he  wore  a 
green  coat,  brass  Ituttons,  and  a  shiny  top  hat,  and  looked 
as  if  he  drank  constantly.  His  jollity  was  perfunctory, 
I  know,  and  covered  a  gras|)ing  nature,  but  it  was  very 
well  imitated,  like  ovorything  in  Paris.  As  he  whirled 
lis,  with  a  whii)-re])ort  like  a  pistol-shot,  into  the  train 
of  traffic  in  the  middle  of  the  street,  we  felt  that  wo 
were  indeed  in  the  city  of  aj)pearances;  and  I  ]m\  down 
in  my  mind,  not  having  my  note-book,  that  Paris  lives 
up  to  its  photographs. 

"  AVe  mustn't  forget  our  serions  object,  dear,''  said 
nionnna,  as  wo  rollcMl  over  the  co])l)le-;tonos — '"  our  liter- 
ary object.  AVhat  sludl  we  note  this  nionnng?  Tho 
broad  streets,  the  elegant  shops — do  look  at  tliat  one! 


^■"lU»"»«|ilB»»"'li»<7»"l|lHl>  I 


54  A  VOYACxE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

Darliiip:,  is  it  absolutely  necessary  to  go  to  the  Louvre 
this  morning^  There  are  some  things  we  really 
need." 

]\lonnna  addressed  the  Senator.  1  mentioned  to  her 
once  that  her  way  of  doing  it  was  almos'  English  in  its 
demonstrativeness,  and  my  other  jjarent  told  me  pri- 
vately he  wished  I  hadn't — it  aggravated  it  so. 

"  Augusta,"  said  poppa,  lirmly,  "  I  understand  your 
feeling.  I  take  a  human  interest  in  those  stores  myself, 
wliich  I  do  not  expect  this  picture  galh^ry,  etc.,  to  inspire 
in  UK-.  Jhit  there  the  JA)Uvre  is,  you  see,  and  it's  got 
to  he  done.  If  we  s])ent  our  whole  time  in  this  city  in 
mere  pleasure  and  amusement,  you  would  be  the  first 
to  reproach  yourself,  Augusta." 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  we  had  crossed  the  stone 
quadrangle  and  mounted  the  stairs,  and  stood  with  our 
catalogue  in  the  Salle  Lacaze,  momma  said  that  she 
wouldn't  have  missed  it  for  anything.  She  sank  ecstatic 
npon  a  bench,  and  gave  to  every  individual  picture  upon 
the  opposite  wall  the  tribute  of  her  intensest  admira- 
tion. It  was  a  pleasure  to  see  her  enjoying  herself  so 
much;  and  ]iop])a  and  I  vainly  tried  to  keep  up  to  her 
with  the  catalogue. 

"  Oh,  why  haven't  we  such  things  in  Chicago!  "  she 
exclaimed,  at  which  the  Senator  checked  her  niildlv. 

"  It's  a  mere  question  of  time,"  said  he.  "  It  isn't 
reasonable  to  expect  Pre-Raphaelites  in  a  new  country. 
But  give  us  three  or  four  hundred  years,  and  we'll  pro- 
duce old  masters  which,  if  vou  ladies  will  excuse  the  ex- 


'i»w*<lii«^"™»fW!"»"w»«p5isi  iji  «m*fipmtm!W^ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  55 

prcssion,  will  kiiofk  the  s[)()ttf  out  of  the  ^liddle  Ages/' 
Poppa  is  sneh  an  optimist  about  Chiengo. 

The  Senator  went  on  in  a  strain  of  eritieisni  of  the 
jjietures  perfeetly  moderate  and  kindly — notliing  ho 
wouldn't  have  said  to  the  artists  themselves — until 
momma  interrupted  him.  "  Don't  you  think  we  might 
be  silent  for  a  time,  Alexander,"  she  said. 

Momma  does  eall  him  Alexander  sometimes.  I 
didn't  like  to  mention  it  before,  but  it  ean't  be  con- 
cealed for  ever.  She  savs  it's  because  Joshua  alwavs 
costs  her  an  effort,  and  everv  wonnui  ought  to  have  the 
right  to  name  her  own  husband. 

"  Let  us  offer  to  all  this  genius,"  she  continued,  in- 
dicating it,  "  the  tribute  of  sealing  our  lips." 

The  Senator  will  always  oblige.  ^*  ^[ine  are  sealed, 
Augusta,"  he  replied,  and  so  we  sat  in  silence  for  the 
next  ten  minutes.  But  I  could  see  by  his  expression, 
in  connection  with  the  angle  at  which  his  hat  was  tipped, 
that  he  was  comi)aring  the  productions  before  him  with 
the  future  old  masters  of  Chicago,  and  wishing  it  were 
possible  to  live  long  enough  to  back  Chicago. 

"How  they  do  sink  in!"  said  momma  at  last. 
"  How  thev  sink  into  the  soul!  " 

"  They  do,"  replied  the  Senator.  "  I  don't  deny 
it.  But  I  see  by  the  catalogue,  counting  Salles  and 
Salons  and  all,  there's  seventeen  rooms  full  of  them. 
If  they're  all  to  sink  in,  for  my  part  I'll  have  to  enlarge 
the  premises.  And  we've  been  here  three-(|uarters  of  an 
hour  already,  and  life  is  short,  Augusta." 


5G  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

Ro  we  moved  on  wlicre  tlio  ini|K'risluil)k'  faces  of 
(Jreuze  and  Vehis(iiiez  and  Iveiidjraiidt  smiled  and 
frowned  and  wondered  at  lis.  As  poppa  said,  it  was  easy 
to  see  that  these  peoj)le  had  ideas,  and  were  simply  long- 
in<2;  to  express  them.  "  You  feel  sorry  for  them,''  he 
said,  "  just  as  you  feel  sorry  for  an  intelligent  terrier. 
]jut  these  poor  things  can't  even  wag  their  tails!  Just 
let  me  know  when  you've  had  enough,  Augusta." 

^romma  declared,  with  an  accent  of  reproach,  that 
she  could  never  have  enough.  I  noticed,  however,  that 
we  did  not  stay  in  the  second  room  as  long  as  in  the  first 
one,  and  that  our  progress  was  steadily  accelerating. 
Presently  the  Senator  asked  us  to  sit  down  for  a  few 
nunutes  while  he  should  leave  us. 

*'  There's  a  picture  here  l>rainley  said  I  was  to  see 
■without  fail,"  he  ex])lained.  "  It's  called  '  ^Eona  Lisa,' 
and  it's  hv  an  artist  hv  the  name  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci. 
Bramley  said  it  was  a  very  fine  painting,  but  I  don't 
rememher  just  now  whether  he  sai<l  it  was  wdiat  you 
might  call  a  ])ictiire  for  the  family  or  not.  I'll  just  go 
and  ascertain,"  said  the  Senator.  "  Judging  from  some 
of  the  specimens  here,  oil  paintings  in  the  ^liddle  Ages 
weren't  intended  to  be  chroino-lithographed." 

Ill  nis  absence  momma  and  I  discussed  French  cook- 
cry  as  far  as  we  had  experienced  it,  in  detail,  w^ith  pro- 
digious yawns  for  wdnch  we  did  not  even  apologise. 
Poppa  was  gone  a  remarkably  short  time  and  came  back 
radiant.  "  I've  found  ]\rona,"  he  exclaimed,  "  and — 
she's  all  right.     Bramley  said  it  was  the  most  remark- 


■9m  p>mq,jj     I  I!  "t  rw^^tmwT^^fWtflfir^^S^w 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  57 

al)le  portrait  of  a  woman  in  the  world — looking-  at  it, 
Braniley  said,  you  become  insensil)le  to  everything — 
forget  all  about  your  i)ast  life  and  future  hopes — and  I 
guess  he's  about  right.    Come  and  sec  it." 

Momma  arose  without  enthusiasm,  and  I  thought 
I  detected  adverse  criticism  in  advance  in  her  expression. 

"  Here  she  is,"  said  the  Senator  presently.  "  Xow 
look  at  that!  Did  you  ever  see  anvthing  more  intel- 
lectual  and  cynical,  and  contemi)tuous  and  sweet,  all  in 
one!  Lookin'  at  vou  as  nuich  as  to  sav,  '  Who  are  voii, 
anyhow,  from  way  back  in  the  State  of  Illinois — com- 
mercial traveller?  And  what  do  you  pretend  to 
know  ? '  " 

Momma  regarded  the  portrait  for  a  moment  in  calm 
disapprobation.  "  I  daresay  she  was  very  clever,"  she 
said  at  length,  "  but  if  you  wish  to  know  my  o|)inion 
I  don't  think'  much  of  her.  And  l)efore  taking  us  to  sec 
another  female  portrait,  ^Ir.  AVick,  I  should  be  obliged 
if  you  would  take  the  precaution  ol  finding  out  who  ahe 


was." 


After  which  we  drove  quietly  home. 


.■ii,ni^iwi»^^rT^_f'  »...4Pn,'j'  "*'  ■i»iiw!"««w*»»*wj"w-.iii'"V'"'  ■"^"'  ''^r"-"-"   ■ 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PoprA  decided  that  we  had  better  go  to  Versailles 
by  Cook's  four-in-hand.  There  were  )ther  ways  of 
going,  but  he  tlioiight  we  might  as  well  take  the  most 
distinguished.  He  was  careful  to  explain  that  the  mere 
grandeur  of  this  method  of  transportation  had  no  weight 
with  him;  he  was  compelled  to  submit  to  the  ostentation 
of  it  for  another  pur})ose  which  he  had  in  view. 

''  I  am  not  a  i)erson,"  said  poppa,  ^'  nor  is  any  mem- 
ber of  mv  familv,  to  thrust  mvself  into  aristocratic  cir- 
cles  in  foreign  lands;  but  when  an  o])portunity  like  this 
occurs  for  observing  them  without  prejudice,  so  to  speak, 
I  believe  in  taking  it." 

AVe  went  to  the  starting  place  early,  so  as  to  get  good 
seats,  for,  as  momma  said,  the  whole  of  the  Parisian 
elite  with  the  President  thrown  in  wouldn't  induce  her 
to  ride  with  her  back  to  the  horses.  In  that  position  she 
would  be  incapable  of  observation. 

The  coaches  were  not  there  when  we  arrived,  and 
presently  the  Senator  discovered  why.  He  told  us  with 
a  slightly  depressed  air  that  they  had  gone  round  to  the 
hotels. 

''  Daughter,"  he  said  to  me,  "J.  P.  Wicks  docs  hate 

08 


yp>uiuik!W7«*7^M!^l"»V^ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  59 

to  make  a  fool  of  hiinsolf,  and  this  morniiiii'  lie's  done 
it  twice  over.  The  best  seats  will  go  to  the  people  who 
had  the  sense  to  stay  at  their  hotels,  and  the  fact  that 
the  eoaehes  go  round  shows  that  they  run  for  tourist 
traffic  onlv.  There  won't  l)e  a  Paris  aristocrat  anionjjr 
them,"  continued  poppa  gloomily,  ''  nary  an  aristocrat.'' 

When  they  came  up  we  saw  that  then*  wasn't.  The 
coaches  were  full  of  tourist  traffic.  It  was  mounted  on 
the  box  seats  very  high  up,  where  it  looked  conspitMiously 
happy,  and  sounded  a  little  hysterical;  and  it  was  jiacked, 
tight  and  warm  and  anticii)ant  into  every  available  seat. 
From  its  point  of  vantage,  secured  by  waiting  at  the 
hotel  for  it,  the  tourist  traffic  looked  down  upon  the 
Wick  family  on  the  pavement,  in  irritating  compassion. 
As  momma  said,  if  we  hadn't  taken  OTir  tickets  it  was 
enough  to  have  sent  us  to  the  Bon  !Marche. 

A  man  in  a  black  frock  coat  and  white  shirt  cuffs 
came  bareheaded  from  the  office  and  pointed  us  out  to 
the  interpreter,  who  wore  brass  buttons.  The  inter- 
preter appeared  to  mention  it  to  the  guide,  who  wi[)ed 
his  perspiring  brows  under  a  sf)ft  brown  felt  hat.  A 
fiacre  crawled  round  the  corner  and  paused  to  look  on, 
and  the  Senator  said,  "  Xow  which  of  you  three  gentle- 
men is  responsible  for  my  ride  to  Versailles?  " 

The  interpreter  looked  at  him  with  a  hostih*  ex- 
pression, the  guide  made  a  gesture  of  despair  at  the 
volume  of  tourist  traffic,  and  the  man  with  the  shirt 
cuffs  said,  "  You  'ave  took  your  plazes  on  ze  previous 
day?" 


60  A  VOYAGK  OF  CONSOLATION. 


u 


I  took  tlicm  from  you  ton  iiiiimtos  ago,"  poppa 
replied.     "  What   a  nieniory  you've  got!  " 

"  /en  /.are  is  uotliiugs  guaranteed.  But  we  will 
send  sjK'cial  carriage,  and  l)e'ind  you  can  follow  up," 
and  he  indicated  the  fiacre  which  had  now  drawn  into 
line. 

"  T  don't  think  so,"  said  pop])a,  "  when  I  buy  four- 
in-hand  tickets  1  don't  take  one-in-hand  acx'oninioda- 
tion." 

"  You  will  not  go  in  ze  private  carriage? " 

"  I  will  not." 

"  J/«/.s — it  is  much  ze  preferable." 

"  I  don't  know  whv  T  should  contradict  vou,"  said 
poppa,  but  at  that  moment  the  difficulty  was  solved  by 
the  Misses  l>ini»ham. 

"  (luide!  "  cried  one  of  the  Misses  Bingham,  beck- 
oning with  her  fan,  ^"Nous  coulons  a  descendre!  ^^ 

"  You  want  get  out  ?  " 

^^Oni!  "  rei)lied  the  Misses  Bingham  with  simultane- 
ous dignity,  and,  as  the  guide  merely  wiped  his  forehead 
again,  poj)])a  stepped  forward.  "Can  I  assist  you?" 
he  said,  and  the  blisses  Bingham  allowed  themscdves  to 
be  assisted.  They  were  small  ladies,  dressed  in  black 
pongee  silk,  with  sloping  shoulders,  and  they  each  car- 
ried a  black  fan  and  a  brocaded  bag  for  odds  and  ends. 
They  were  not  ])lain-looking,  and  yet  it  was  readily  seen 
why  nobody  had  ever  married  them;  they  had -that  look 
of  the  predestined  single  state  that  you  sometimes  see 
even  among  the  very  well  preserved.    One  of  them  had 


rf^rwmrmimi  ■.  aiwi  i  wjvinvvi 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


01 


an  oyo-<ilsiss,  ])Ut  it  wns  easy  to  note  vvvn  wlioii  slio  was 
nut  wearing  it  that  slic  was  a  person  of  in<lei)en(lent  in- 
('(•nie,  of  family,  and  of  Xew  York. 

"  We  are  (piitc^  willini>/'  saiil  tlie  Misses  liiiii^- 
liani,  '*  to  excliantic  our  seats  in  tlie  coacli  for  yours 
in  the  sjK'cial  carriage,  if  tliat  arrangement  suits 
you. 

^' ]ioh ! '"  interjjosed  the  guide,  ''and  opjiosite  tlierc 
is  one  otiier  j)lace  if  that  fat  gentleman  will  scjueezc  him- 
self a  little— eh  r' 

''  Come  along!  "  said  the  fat  gentleman  cqualdy. 

''  ]>ut  r  eouldn't  think  of  depriving  yon  ladies." 

''  Sir,"  said  one  Miss  Bingham,  '*  it  is  no  depriva- 
tion." 

"  AVe  should  ])refer  it,"  added  the  other  ^fiss  Bing- 
ham. They  spoke  with  decision;  one  saw  that  they 
had  not  reached  middle  age  without  knowing  their  own 
minds  all  the  wav. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,"  added  the  Miss  Bingham  with- 
out the  eye-glass  in  a  low  voice,  "  wc  don't  think  we  can 
stand  it." 

''  I  don't  precisely  take  yon,  madam,"  said  the  Sena- 
tor politely. 

"  I'm  an  American,"  she  continued. 

Pop])a  bowed.  ''  1  should  have  known  you  for  a 
daughter  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes  anywhere,"  he  said 
in  his  most  eomplimentary  tone. 

!^riss  Bingliam  looked  disconcerted  for  an  instant 
and  went  on.     "  My  great  grandfather  was  A.  D.  C.  to 


L     i 


03  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

General  Was]iiii<;t<ni.  I've  got  that  inucli  reason  to  lie 
loval." 

"  Tlierc  couldn't  liave  been  many  such  oflieers,"  the 
Senator  agreed. 

*'  JJut  when  I  go  abroad  T  don't  want  tlie  wliole  of 
the  I'nited  States  to  come  with  me." 

"  It  takes  the  gilt  off  getting  back  for  you?"  sug- 
gested ])oj»|)a  a  little  stilHy. 

]\Iiss  IJingham  failed  to  take  the  liint.  ^'  We  find 
Europe  infested  with  Americans,"  she  continued.  ''  It 
disturbs  one's  impressions  so.  And  the  travelling  Ameri- 
can invariably  Ixdongs  to  the  v(M'v  least  desira))le  class.'' 

"  ^'ow  I  shouldn't  have  thought  so,"  said  the  Sena- 
tor, with  intentional  humour.  J  hit  it  was  lost  upon 
Miss  J>ingham. 

"  AVell,  if  yon  like  them,"  said  the  other  one,  "  you'd 
better  go  in  the  coach." 

The  Senator  lifted  his  liat.  "  Madam,"  he  said,  '^  I 
thank  you  for  giving  to  me  and  mine  the  privilege  of 
visiting  a  very  questionable  vScene  of  the  jiast  in  the  very 
best  society  of  the  j^resenl." 

And  as  the  guide  was  pers})iring  more  and  more  im- 
patiently, we  got  in. 

For  some  moments  the  Senator  sat  in  silence,  reflect- 
ing upon  this  sentiment,  with  an  occasionally  heaving 
breast.  Circumstances  forbade  his  talking  about  it,  but 
he  oast  an  eye  full  of  criticism  upon  the  fiacre  rolling 
along  far  in  the  rear,  and  remarked,  with  a  fervor  most 
unusual,  that  he  hoped  they  liked  our  dust.     We  cer- 


_ 


'•■"^^■^■^Pipi 


A    VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  03 

talnly  made  a  «»r('at  deal  of  it.  Moiiinia  and  I,  looking 
at  our  fellow  travellers,  at  once  deeided  that  the  Misses 
liin^hain  had  been  a  little  Iiasty.  The  fat  gentleman, 
who  wore  a  straw  hat  verv  far  hack,  and  meant  to  enjoy 
liiniscdf,  was  eertainly  our  lellow-eitizen.  So  was  his 
wife,  and  hrother-in-law.  So  were  a  bride  and  hrido- 
grooni  on  the  box  seat — nothing-  less  than  the  best  of 
C'vervthinii'  for  an  Anieri(.'an  honevnioon — and  so  was  a 
solitary  nuiu  with  a  short  cut  bristly  l)eard,  a  slouch 
hat,  a  pink  cotton  shirt,  and  a  cellul'Md  coHar.  l]ut  there 
was  an  in(k'scribable  soniethin';-  about  all  the  rest  that 
l)lainly  showed  they  had  never  voted  for  a  president 
or  celebrated  a  Fourth  of  July.  I  was  still  revolving 
it  in  my  mind  when  the  fat  gentleman,  who  had  l)een 
thiid<ing  of  the  same  thing,  said  to  his  neighbour  on  the 
other  side,  a  person  of  serious  ajjpearance  in  a  black 
silk  hat,  apropos  of  the  line  he  had  crossed  by,  "  I  may 
be  wrong,  but  I  shouldn't  have  put  you  down  t(j  be  an 
American." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  T  am,"  replied  the  serious  man,  "'  but 
not  tl  e  Tnited  States  kind." 

"  British  Xorth,"  suggested  the  fat  gentlenuan,  with 
a  smile  that  acknowledged  Her  Majesty.  "  First  cousin 
once  removed,"  and  momma  and  T  looked  at  one  an- 
other intelligently.  We  had  nothing  against  Canadians, 
except  that  they  generally  talk  as  if  they  had  the  whole 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  river  and  Niagara  Falls  in  a  per- 
petual lease  from  Providence — and  we  had  never  seen 
so  many  of  them  together  before.    The  coach  was  three- 


•  ^     ■^•^■■••■^l^- 


04  A    VOYACJE   OF   CONSOLATIOX. 

([uartcr^^  full  of  these  f(>r('i<j^n('rs,  if  the  Misses  r>iiii;liam 
had  only  iviiown;  hut  as  poppa  afterwards  said,  tiiey 
were  prol)ahiy  not  foreij:;!!  euouji,ii.  It  may  liave  Iteeu 
iniaginatiou,  i)Ut  1  iuiniediately  thouf;lit  I  saw  a  certain 
meekness,  a  hahit  of  deference — I  wanted  to  incite  them 
all  to  treat  the  Gnelphs  as  we  did.  ilust  tiien  we  stopped 
hefore  the  church  of  St.  Augustin,  and  the  guide  came 
swinging  ahtug  the  outside  of  the  coach  hoarscdy  emit- 
ting facts.  Kvervhodv  listened  intentlv,  and  I  noticed 
upon  the  Camidian  countenances  the  same  determination 
to  he  instructed  that  we  alwavs  siiow  ourselves.  We  all 
meant  to  get  the  nuiximum  amount  of  information  for 
the  ])rice,  and  I  d<)n't  think  any  of  us  have  forgolten 
that  the  site  of  St.  Augustin  is  three-cornered  and  its 
dome  resend)les  a  tiara  to  this  day.  For  a  moment  I  wis 
sorry  for  the  Misses  liingham,  who  were  ahsorbing  noth- 
ing hut  dust;  but,  as  momma  said,  they  looked  very  well 
informed. 

It  must  he  admitted  that  we  were  a  little  shy  with 
the  guide — we  let  him  hully  us.  As  poppa  said,  he  was 
certainly  W(dl  up  in  his  subject,  but  that  was  no  reason 
why  he  should  have  treated  us  as  if  we  had  all  come 

from  St.   Paul  or  Kansas  Citv.      There   was  a  condc-  , 

■t 

scension  about  him  that  was  not  explained  by  the  state  I 

of  his  linen,  and  a  familiarity  that  T  had  always  supjjosej 
confined  exclusively  to  the  British  aristocracy  among 
themselves.  lie  had  a  red  face  and  a  blue  eve,  with 
which  he  looked  down  on  us  \\\\\\  scarcely  concealed 
contempt,  and  he  was  marvellously  agile,  distributing 


A    VUVACJE  OF   CUNSULATIUX.  05 

his  liiforniatluii  as  open  street-car  coiulnctors  colleit 
fares. 

"  Tlicv  seem  extreniclv  carcl'iil  <»t'  tlicir  licrl);!«!;i'  in 
this  town,"  reiiiarkcti  the  serious  man,  and  we  noticeil 
tliat  it  was  so.  Precauti()ns  were  lai\en  in  wire  tliat 
would  iiave  dissuaded  a  grassliopjiei*  fmui  venturing 
on  it.  It  ^rew  very  neatly  inside,  douhth'ss  with  a  cer- 
tain rJilcy  hut  it  liad  a  h)ok  of  Ixinu-  jint  on  for  tiic  occa- 
sion that  was  essentially  I'arisian.  Also  the  trees  p-ew 
lip  out  of  iron  plates,  which  was  unconifortahle,  thouiili, 
no  douht,  highly  finished,  and  the  llowers  had  a  nirlirt 
about  them  which  ma<le  one  thiidc  of  French  honnets. 
As  we  rolled  into  the  Dois  it  hccame  evident  that  the 
guide  had  something  sjjecial  to  communicate.  He  raised 
liis  voice  and  eoiighed,  in  a  manner  which  commanded 
instant  attention. 

i  "  Ladies — and  genelmen,''  he  said — he  always  achled 

the  gentleman  as  if  tliey  were  an  after-thought — "you 
are  mos'  fortunate,  inos'  locky,,  7\>///  Paris — all  tlic 
folks — are  still  driving  their  'orse  an'  carriage  'ere.    One 

'  week  more — the  style  will  he  all  gone — what  you  say 

— vamoosed?  Every  mother's  son!  An'  Cook's  ex- 
cursion party  won't  see  nothin'  hut  ole  cahs  goin' 
along!  " 

"  Can't  we  get  away  from  them?  "  asked  the  serious 
person.  It  was  humorously  intended — certainly  a  lib- 
erty, and  the  guide  was  down  on  it  in  an  instant. 

"  Get  away  from  them?  Xot  if  they  know  you're 
here!" 


"i 


± 


WIMFpa 


immmm^'^iiw 


GO 


A    VOYAGE   OF  CONSOLATION'. 


At  wlilcli  the  serious  111:111  looked  still  more  serious, 
and  svinj)atiiy  for  liiiii  sprjing  np  in  every  heart. 

We  passed  J^uiij^cliaiiips  at  a  steady  trot,  and  the 
guide's  statement  that  the  races  there  were  always  held 
on  Suiulay  was  received  with  a  silence  that  evi<lently 
disappointeil  him.  It  was  plain  that  he  had  a  withering 
rejoinder  ready  lor  saMtatarians,  and  he  waited  anx- 
iously, hahmced  on  oiu;  foot,  for  an  exj)ression  of  shocked 
opinion.  It  was  after  we  had  ])assed  .Mont  Valerien, 
frowning  on  the  horizon,  that  the  man  in  the  pink  cotton 
shirt  hegan  to  grow  restive  under  so  much  instruction. 
He  told  the  serious  j)ers<^n  that  his  name  was  llinkson 
of  Iowa,  and  the  serious  j)erson  was  induced  to  re})ly 
tliat  his  was  I'ahhley  of  Simcoe,  Ontario.  It  was  insub- 
ordination— the  guide  was  talking  ahout  the  shelling 
from  Mont  Valerien  at  the  time,  with  the  most  jiatriotie 
dislocations  in  his  grammar. 

"  Vou  understan',  you  see?  "  he  concluded.  "  Xow 
those  two  genelnien,  they  di))i^  understan',  and  they 
dun^  see.  An'  when  they  get  back  to  the  United  Statej 
tliev  won'  be  able  to  tell  their  wives  an'  sweethearts  anv- 
thin'  about  ^lont  Valerien!  All  right,  genelmeu — 
please  yourselves.  }fais  you  please  remember  I  am 
just  like  William  Shekspeare — I  give  no  repetition!  ^' 

It  was  then  that  the  serious  man  demonstrated  that 
Britons,  even  the  Xortli  American  kind,  never,  never 
wotdd  be  slaves.  Placing  his  black  silk  hat  carefully  a 
little  further  back  on  his  head,  he  leaned  forward. 

*'  Xow  look  here,  mister,"  he  8did,  "  you're  as  per- 


'•^ji^/w^^^f^m' 


■^■^ 


A   VUYAUE   OF   C'OXSOLATION. 


boiial  as  a  Yankee  ne\vs|)ai)er.  S«»  far  as  I  know,  yon'ro 
not  the  friend  of  niv  cliildliood,  nor  the  eonipanion  of 
iny  later  years,  except  for  tliis  trij)  only,  and  I'd  just  as 
soon  yon  realised  it.  As  far  as  I  know,  you're  paid  to 
jtoint  «tut  olijects  of  historical  interest.  Don't  you  trou- 
ble to  entertain  us  any  further  than  that.  We'll  excuse 
von  I 

"  Ladies — an'  genelnien,"  continued  the  ^-uide  calm- 
ly, "  in  a  lil'  short  while  we  shall  he  approache<l  to  tho 
town  of  St.  Cloud.  x\t  (hat  town  of  St.  Cloud  will  li(> 
one  gcntdnian  will  take  the  excellen'  <irouj) — foto^ralf. 
To  appear  in  that  foto<'ratf,  you  will  please  all  keep  to- 
gether with  me.  Afterwards,  you  will  look  at  the  foun- 
tains, at  the  magniticent  panoranui  de  Paris,  and  we  go 
on  to  Versailles.  On  the  return  journey,  if  you  like  that 
fotograff  you  can  buy,  if  you  don't  like,  you  don'  buy. 
An'  if  you  got  no  wife  an'  no  sweetheart  all  the  same 
you  keep  your  tenii)er!  " 

]iut  Mr.  Pabbley  had  settled  his  hat  in  its  normal 
j)Osition  and  did  not  intend  to  clear  his  brow  for  action 
again.  All  might  have  gone  well,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  patriotic  sensitiveness  of  Mr.  Hinkson  of  Iowa. 

"  I  think  I  heard  you  pass  a  remark  about  American 
iiewspajjers,  sir,"  said  ^Ir  Ilinkson  of  Iowa.  ''  Think 
you've  got  any  better  in  Canada^  " 

]\Ir.  Pabblev  smiled.  There  mav  have  been  some 
fancied  superiority  in  the  smile. 

"  I  guess  they  suit  us  better,"  he  said. 

^'  Got  any  circulation  figures  about  you?" 


08 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  Xot  Ix'ing  ail  lulvcrtisiiig  agent,  I  don't  carry 
tlioni." 

"  I  see!  "  ^fr.  llinkson's  manner  of  savinii-  he  saw 
elearly  implied  tliat  there  might  have  been  other  rea-ons 
why  ^Ir.  Pabbley  declined  to  produce  those  figures. 
We  were  all  listening  now,  and  the  guide  had  subsided 
npon  the  box  seat.  The  Senator's  face  wore  the  judicial 
exi)ression  it  always  assumes  when  he  has  a  ditiiculty  in 
keeping  himself  out  of  the  conversation.  It  became 
easier  than  ever  to  separate  the  liepublican  and  the  Ihit- 
ihh  elements  on  that  coach. 

"Well,"  said  .Mr.  Ilinkson,  "don't  yon  folks  get 
pretty  tired  of  paying  Victoria  taxes  sometimes^  " 

The  Ih'itish  contingent  seemed  to  find  this  amusing. 
The  Americans  looked  as  if  it  were  no  laughing  matter. 

"  I  don't  believe  Iler  Ma  jest  v  is  nuich  the  richer 
for  all  she  gets  out  of  us,"  said  ^Ir.  Pabbley. 

"  Oh,  I  guess  you  send  over  a  pretty  good  lump 
per  aujuun,  don't  you^" 

"  Xot  a  red  cent,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Pabbley  decisively. 
"  We  run  our  own  show." 

"  What  about  that  aristocrat  that  rules  the  country 
up  at  Ottawa?" 

"  Oh,  //('  hasn't  got  any  say!  AVe  get  him  out  and 
pay  him  a  salary  to  save  ourselves  the  trouble  of  elect- 
ing a  president.  A  presidential  election's  bad  for  busi- 
ness, bad  for  politics,  bad  for  morals." 

"  You  seem  to  know.  Doesn't  it  ever  make  von  tir^d 
to  hear  yourselves  called  subjects?    Don't  you  ever  vant 


J*»J*1I  PUMH 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


60 


to  bo  free  and  o(|nal,  like  us?  Trot  out  the  truth  now — 
tlio  (ioor^o  Wasliiii^tou  article !  " 

"  Mister,"  said  Mr.  Pahl)ley,  ''I  Ihitter  myself  that 
Canadians  are  a  <;o()d  deal  like  I'nited  States  folks  al- 
ready, and  I  don't  mind  eongratulating  both  our  natioiia 
on  the  res('nd)lan('e.  lUit  I'm  bound  to  add  that,  while 
1  would  wish  to  imitate  the  American  peo[)le  in  many 
ways  still  further,  1  wouldn't  be  like  you  personally, 
no,  not  under  any  circumstances  nor  in  any  resjurt.'' 

At  this  moment  it  was  necessary  to  dismount,  an<l,  as 
po))])a  and  1  both  immediately  becMuie  engaii'cd  in  recon- 
ciling momma  to  the  nece?'sity  of  walking  to  the  top  of 
the  plateau,  1  lost  the  rest  of  the  conversation,  ^lonmin, 
when  it  was  necessary  to  walk  anywhere,  always  became 
pathetic  and  oifered  to  stay  behind  aL>ne.  She  declared 
on  this  occasion  that  she  would  be  i)erfectly  happy  in 
the  coach  with  the  dear  horses,  and  poppa  had  to  resort 
to  extreme  measures.  *'  Please  yourself,  Augusta,"  he 
said.  ''  Your  lightest  whim  is  law  to  me,  and  you  know 
it.  lint  I'm  going  to  hate  standing  up  in  that  photo- 
gra})h  all  alone  with  my  only  child,  like  any  widower." 

"  Alexanderl  "  exclaimed  momma  at  once.  ''  What 
a  dreadful  idea!     I  thiid<  I  might  be  able  to  manage  it.'* 

The  j)hotogra])her  was  there  with  his  camera.  The 
guide  marshalled  us  nj)  to  him,  falling  back  now  and 
then  to  bark  at  the  heels  of  the  lagging  ones,  and,  with 
the  assistance  of  a  bench  and  an  acacia,  we  were  rapidly 
arrange(l,  the  short  ones  standing  up,  the  tall  ones  sit- 
ting down,   everyone   assunang  his  most   pleading  ex- 


'^^••'^^•^ip 


•fppw^r^ 


70 


A   V^UYAGE  UF  CONSOLATK^X. 


j)r('ssion,  luul  the  Misses  IJiiiiiliaiii  stiindiiiii  alono,  npart, 
(HI  tlic  l)riiik,  lookiii*;'  on  uikIci*  an  uiii])rclla  that  sooiirmI 
to  ))rot('('t  tliciii  from  intimate  association  witii  the 
(Icmocracy  in  any  form.  We  saw  tlic  <>ui<l('  approacli 
them  in  gin«»('riy  inciuiry,  bnt,  before  siniultaneons 
waves  of  tiieir  two  black  fans,  lie  retired  in  disorder. 
The  l)ride  had  slippcMl  lier  hand  nj)on  lier  linsi)and's 
shoulck'r,  jnst  t(j  mark  liis  identity;  the  fat  jicntleman 
had  removed  liis  liat  and  hurriedly  put  it  on  auain,  and 
the  j)iiotogTaj)iu'r  liad  fione  un(h'r  iiis  curtain  for  the 
third  time,  wlien  Mr.  Ilinkson  of  Iowa,  who  sat  in  a  con- 
sj)icuous  cr<)ss-le«iiied  jjosition  in  the  foregroun<l,  drew 
from  his  ])Ocket  a  handkerchief  and  spread  it  carefully 
out  over  one  knee.  It  was  not  an  ordinary  handkerchief, 
it  was  a  po(d<et  edition  of  the  Stars  and  Strijjcs,  all  red, 
and  blue,  and  white,  and  it  attracted  the  instant  atten- 
tion of  everv  <'ve.  One  of  the  eves  was  Mr.  Pabblev's, 
who  a|»peared  to  clear  the  i-roup  at  a  bound  in  conse- 
(juence. 

"  Ladies  and  jientlemen,"  excdaimed  Mr.  l*abbley 
with  veliemence,  '*  (lo(>s  anyone  happen  to  have  a  Union 
Jack  alxuit  him  or  her^" 

Thev  felt  in  their  pockets,  but  thev  hadn't. 

"  Then,"  said  Mr.  l^abbley,  who  was  evidently 
aroused,  "  unless  the  gentleman  from  Iowa  will  with- 
draw his  handkercliief,  I  refuse  to  sit." 

"  I  guess  we  aren't  any  of  us  annexationists,'^  said  a 
middle-aged  woman  from  Toronto  in  a  duster,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  follow  Mr.  Pabbley. 


i»iM    I  iiPllMV 


i.|iHPi|lf  III!  U|^H 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


71 


Tlic  rest  of  the  Caiiadinns  lookrd  at  eacli  otlior  iin- 
docidodlv  for  a  moment  ami  then  slowlv  filed  after  the 
mi<hlle-a^('d  woman.  Tlu're  remained  fhe  mere  wreck 
of  a  <in>np  (dusterinij  ronnd  the  national  emhlem  on  the 
leg  of  Mr.  Ilinkson.  The  guide  was  expostulating  him- 
self si)eeehless,  the  j)h(»tographer  was  in  convidsions,  tlio 
S(»nator  saw  it  was  time  to  interfere.  Leaning  over,  he 
gently  tapjied  the  })atriot  from  Iowa  on  the  shoulder. 

"  Aren't  you  satisfied  with  the  sixty  nnllion  fellow- 
citizens  you've  got  already,"  said  po|)j)a,  '*  that  you  want 
to  grah  nine  half-starved  Canucks  with  a  hand  camera^  '' 

"  They're  in  the  majority  here,"  saitl  ^Mr.  Ifinksou 
iierc(dy,  "  and  I  dan^  anv  one  of  'em  to  touch  that  flag. 
Go  along  over  there  and  join  'em  if  you  like — they're 
goin'  to  be  done  by  themselves — to  send  to  (^ueen  Vic- 
toria! " 

But  that  was  further  than  anybody  would  go,  even 
in  defence  (»f  cosmojiolitanism.  The  Republic  rallied 
round  ^Ir.  Ilinkson's  leg,  while  the  Domiiuon  with 
nuich  dignity  suj)ported  Mr.  Pabbley.  As  niomnui  said, 
hunuui  nature  is  tjcrfectlv  extraordinary. 

For  the  rest  of  the  journey  to  Versailles  there  was 
hardly  any  international  conversation.  Mr.  Tlinksou 
tie<l  his  handkerchief  round  his  neck,  an<l  the  Canadian?? 
tried  to  look  as  if  tliey  had  no  objection.  We  passed 
through  the  villages  of  Montretout  and  I>uze.  I  know 
we  did  because  momma  took  down  tlie  names,  but  I 
fancy  they  couldn't  liave  differed  much  from  the  gen- 
eral  landscape,   for  I   don't   remember  a   thing   about 


ni^  lAis  1^ 


1 


1''. 


72 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


tliem.  The  Misses  Bingham  cainc  and  sat  next  us  at 
luncheon,  wliich  flattered  hoth  nionnna  and  nie  im- 
mensely, thouf^h  tlie  Senator  didn't  seem  ahle  to  see 
where  the  distinetion  came  in,  an<l  during  this  meal 
tliev  pointed  out  the  fact  that  Mr.  llinkson  was  drink- 
ing lemonade  with  his  roast  mutton,  and  asked  us  how 
we  could  travel  with  such  a  eond)ination.  1  rememlxu* 
pojipa  said  that  it  was  a  ('ond)inati(»n  that  Mr.  llinkson 
and  Mr.  Iliid^son  onlv  had  to  deal  with,  hut  monuna 
and  I  felt  tlu^  ohlocjuy  of  it  a  good  deal,  tliough  when 
we  came  to  think  of  it  we  were  no  more  responsible  for 
Mr.  llinkson  than  the  Misses  IJingham  were.  After 
that,  walking  rajudly  behind  the  guide,  we  covered  cen- 
turies of  French  historv,  illustrated  hv  chairs  and  tables 
and  fire-irons  and  chandeliers  and  four-j)ost  beds,  ^[om- 
nia told  uje  afterwards  that  she  was  rather  sorry  she  had 
taken  me  with  the  guide  through  Madame  du  Jiarry's 
fascinating  l\'tit  Trianon,  the  things  l.e  didn't  say 
sounde(l  so  imj)roper,  but  when  \  assured  her  that  it  was 
oidv  contemporarv  scandal  that  had  anv  elTect  on  our 
morals,  she  said  she  supposed  that  was  so,  and  somehow 
one  never  did  ex])ect  ])eople  who  wore  curled  wigs  and 
knee-breeches  to  behave  (piitc  prettily.  The  rooms  were 
dott(>(l  with  groups  of  people  who  had  come  in  fiacres  or 
by  tramway,  which  made  it  difficult  for  the  guide  to 
impart  his  information  oidy  to  those  who  had  paid  for 
it.  He  generally  surmounted  this  by  saying,  ''  Ladies 
nnd  genelmen,  I  -vant  you  to  stick  closer  than  brothers. 
When  you  hear  mc  a-talkin'  don'  you  go  turnin'  over 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


73 


I 


your  Baodekcrs  and  lookiii'  out  of  the  window.  If  T 
didn't  know  a  ^roat  big  sight  more  about  Vcrsaillca 
than  JJac'dckcr  (hx's  1  woulihi't  be  here  niakin'  a  clown 
of  nivself;  an'  I'll  show  vou  the  view  out  of  the  win- 
(h)w  all  in  good  time.  You  see  that  lady  an'  two  genel- 
nien  over  there ^  Thcifre  listenin'  all  right  enough  be- 
eauHC  thev  don't  Ixdong  to  this  party  an'  they  want  to 
get  a  little  information  elieap  priee.  All  right — I  let 
'em  have  it!  "  At  which  the  lady  and  two  gentlemen 
usually  melted  away  looking  annoyed. 

AVe  were  fascinated  with  the  coaches  of  state  and 
much  imj>ressed  with  the  cost  of  them.  As  momma 
said,  it  took  so  very  Ullle  imaginatiou  to  conjure  up  a 
lloyal  Philij)  inside  bowing  to  the  populace. 

"  A\'liat  a  pity  we  couldn't  have  had  them  over!  " 
said  poppa  indiscreetly. 

*' Wlien^  you  mean?"  demanded  the  gui(h%  *' over 
to  America?  I  know — for  that  ole  Chicago  show  I  You 
are  the  five  hundred  American  who  has  said  that  to 
me  this  sununer!  Xundjer  five  hundred!  Xossir,  we 
don't  lend  those  carriage.  We  don't  even  drive  them 
ourself." 

"  Xo  more  kings  and  (jueens  nowadays,"  remarked 
Mr.  llinkson,  "  this  century's  got  no  use  for  them." 

I  think  the  guide  was  a  Alouarchist.  ''  Xossir,"  Ik; 
lid,  "  you  don't  see  no  more  kings  an'  queens  of  France, 
but  you  (h)  see  a  good  many  people  travellin'  that's 
nothin'  like  so  good  for  trade." 

At   which   ^Ir.   Pabblev's   eye  sought   that   of   t^'-C 


-T^nvifWi^ata 


"^xp«vr 


mwmm'mmw imtm.um 


74 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


p;iii(lo,  and  expressed  its  appreciation  in  a  marked  and 
joyous  wink. 

In  the  I'alace,  especially  in  the  picture  rooms,  there 
were  generally  benches  along  the  walls.  AVhcn  monnna 
observed  this  she  arranged  that  she  should  go  on  ahead 
and  sit  down  and  get  the  impression,  while  poppa  and 
1  caught  up  from  time  to  time  with  the  guide  and  the 
information.  The  guide  was  quite  agreeable  about  it, 
when  it  was  explained  to  him. 

lie  was  either  a  very  thoughtless  or  a  very  insin- 
cere person,  however.  Stopping  before  the  })ortrait  of 
an  ofHcer  in  unifomi,  he  drew  us  all  together.  The 
Canadians,  headed  by  Mr.  Pabbley,  were  well  to  the 
fore,  and  it  was  to  them  in  particular  that  he  apj)eared 
to  address  himself  when  he  said,  "  Take  a  good  look  at 
this  picture,  ladies  and  genelmen.  There  is  a  man  wat 
lives  in  your  'istory  an',  if  I  may  say,  in  your  'art — 
as  he  does  in  ours.  There's  a  man,  ladies  and  genel- 
men, that  helped  you  on  to  liberty.  Take  a  good  look 
at  'im,  you'll  be  glad  to  remember  it  afterward." 

And  it  was  General  Lafavette! 


■■■»iiiaiB«W 


CHAPTER   VII. 

It  was  after  dinner  and  we  were  sitting!:  in  tlie  little 
courtyard  of  tiie  hotel  in  tlie  dark  without  imv  hats — 
that  is,  nioinina  and  1;  the  St'nator  was  seldom  aho- 
gether  witliout  his  hat.  1  think  lie  would  have  f(dt  it 
to  he  a  little  indecent.  The  (Muirtyard  was  pavetl,  and 
there  were  ilowers  on  the  stand  in  the  middle  of  it,  natu- 
ral j)alms  and  artitieial  hej^onias  ndxed  with  the  most 
annovinj;'  (deverness,  and  little  tahles  for  ecdfee  cups  or 
glasses  were  scattered  about.  Outside  beyond  the  hotel 
vestibule  one  could  see  an<l  hear  Paris  rolling  by  in  the 
gaslight.  It  was  the  oidy  place  in  the  hottd  that  did 
not  smell  of  furniture,  so  we  frcciuented  it.  So  did  Mr. 
]\lalt  and  Mrs.  ^lalt,  an<l  Kmmelino  Malt,  and  Miss 
Callis.  That- was  chiefly  how  we  made  the  acquaintance 
of  the  Malt  party.  Von  can't  very  well  sit  out  in  the 
dark  in  a  foreign  caj)ital  with  a  fannly  from  your  own 
State  and  not  get  to  know  them.  Besides  pop|)a  never 
could  overcome  his  feeling  of  indebtedness  to  Mr.  ^lalt. 
They  were  taking  Enmudine  abroad  for  her  health.  She 
was  the  popular  thirteen-year-old  only  child  of  Ameri- 
can families,  and  she  c(M'taiidy  was  thin.     I  remember 

being  [)leased,  sometimes,  co!isidering  her  in  her  tvpical 
r,  75 


^■MPa     ,1 


73  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

capacity,  that  I  once  had  a  litth.  l)r((thcr,  tlwmgli  lio 
died  hdorc  1  was  iioni. 

The  two  ficiitK'iiicii  were  siiiokiiiji';  wc  couhl  hcc 
nothing"  hiit  tlic  ends  of  their  cigars  <:,lowiiin'  in  tlieir 
iinmeihate  viciiiitv.  Moimiia  was  saving-  that  tlie  sitiia- 
tion  was  verv  romantic,  and  Mv.  ^lait  liad  assnred  her 
that  it  was  notliiiii::  to  wliat  we  would  experience  in 
Italy.  "  Tiiat's  where  you  (/cf  romance,"  said  Mr.  .Malt, 
and  his  ciuaJ"  cud  droj»pe<l  like  a  falling  star  as  lie  re- 
movecl  the  ash.  "  Italy's  heen  romantic  ever  since  H.  C 
All  through  the  time  the  rest  <d'  the  world  was  inventing 
]\Iaj;iia  Chartas  and  Doomsday  l>ook>;,  and  Parliaments, 
an<l  printinji;  presses,  and  steam  eniiines,  Italy's  fjjono 
ri}iht  on  turning-  (tut  romatu'c.  Ivesnlt  is,  a  hetter  (jnal- 
itv  of  that  artii'le  to  he  had  in   Italv  to-(lav  than  any- 

4.  1*1/ 

where  (dse.  Further  result,  twenty  million  pounds 
spent  there  annually  hy  tourists  from  all  parts  of  the 
civilised  worM.  Komance,  like  anythiiii!,'  else,  can  he 
mad(^  to  pay." 

"  Are  we  likely  to  iind  the  heds "  began   Mrs. 

^lalt  ])laintively. 

"Oh  dear  yes,  Mrs.  ^lalt!"  interru|)ted  momma, 
who  thought  everything  entonioh»gical  extrenudy  indeli- 
cate. "  Perfectly.  You  have  only  to  go  to  the  hotcds 
the  guide-hooks  recommend,  and  everything  will  be 
quite  propir.'' 

''  Well,"  said  Emmelino,  "  they  may  be  propre  in 
Italy,  but  they're  not  proprc  in  Paris.  We  had  to 
apeak    to    the    housemaid    yesterday    morning,    didn't 


-^^mmn^'^^ 


m  ■  mnpvi  PI 


* 


I    , 


A    VUYAdK   OF  CONSOLATION. 


77 


\v(\  inoflicr'  Dtm't  vou  rciiicmlxr  the  hack  of  my 
iicck^  " 

••  We  :ill  .-iiirciv.i:  "   (Iccliircd   Mrs.   Malt. 

"  AikI  I  sintirril  (Uic  to  licr,  luotlicr,  and  all  she 
would  say  was,  '  Jama  is  lii,  niadeinoiscllc,  Icl,  jtinKtis!* 
Ami  tlicrc  it  irtts  v(»u  know." 

I 

'•  Kniiiicliiw,"  said  licr  fallicr,  "  isn't  it  about  tinu' 
for  yon  to  want  to  ^o  to  IxmH  " 

"  Not  l>y  about  tlircc  hours.  I'm  fioinji;  to  get  up 
a  little  music  first.     Do  you  i>lay.  Mis'  Wick^" 

Momma  said  siie  didn't,  and  Miss  Malt  <Iisaj)poarod 
in  search  of  other  ])ert'ormers.  '*  Don't  you  <i<»  asking 
strangers  to  ])lay,  Kmmeline,"  lier  mother  calletl  alter 
her.     *'  They'll  think  it  forward  of  vou." 

"  When  Kmmeline  leaves  us,"  said  lier  father,  "  T 
always  luive  a  kind  of  ahand<»n(Ml  feeling,  like  a  top 
that's  got  to  the  end  of  its  s|)in." 

'I'here  was  silence  for  a  moment,  and  then  the  Sena- 
tor said  he  thought  he  could  mnh'rstand  that. 

"  W(dl,"  contiiuied  Mr.  Malt,  ''you've  had  three 
^v]lolo  days  now.  I  })resume  you're  beginning  to  know 
vour  wav  around." 

"  I  think  we  mav  sav  we've  made  nrettv  liood  use 
of  our  time,"  resjionth-d  tli<'  Senator.  ''  This  morning 
we  had  a  look  in  at  the  Luxembourg  picture  gallery,  and 
tin*  .Madeleine,  and  Xajxdeon's  Tondi,  and  the  sit(!  of 
the  Bastile.  This  afternoon  we  took  a  run  down  to 
Xotre  Dame  Cathedral.     That's  a  very  fine  building, 


sir. 


» 


^i^ 


7s 


A  voyacf:  of  consolation. 


"  Voii  saw  the  Morgue,  of  conisc,  when  yon  were  in 
tlint  <lir('<'tioii,"  rciiiiirkcd  Mr.  Malt. 

"  Why  no,"  pojipai  <'oiif('ss(>(l,  "  we  liavcii't  taken 
iinicli  of  liking  for  live  Krcnc'linK'n,  np  to  tlic  imscnt, 
and  I  don't  snpposc  dead  (tncs  wonld  be  any  more  at- 
tractive." 

"Oil,  tlicn-'s  nothing-  nnplcasant,"  said  .Mrs.  .Malt, 
"  notidn^  that  yon  can  nolicr.'" 

'*  .\<»thin.ii  iit  all,"  said  .Mr.  Malt.  " 'I'hcy  rcfriir- 
eratc  tlicni,  von  know.  We  send  onr  hccf  to  Kimiand 
l>y  the  same  jiroccss " 

"  There  are  |)eo|)le,"  the  Senator  interrnpted,  '^  who 
never  can  see  anythinj^  aninsinj^  in  a  corpse." 

''  They  (hni't  let  yon  in  as  a  matter  of  conrse,"  .Mr. 
Afait  went  on.  '*  ^'on  have  to  pretend  that  yon're  hj<jk- 
h'v:  for  a  relati(»n." 

'*  We  had  to  mention  T'^ncle  Sammy,"  said  Afrs. 
Malt. 

"  An  nncle  of  Mis'  Malt's  wlio  went  to  Califonda 
in  '49  an<l  was  never  lieard  of  afterward,"  .Mr.  .Malt 
explained.  '^  First  nse  he's  ever  i)een  to  his  family. 
AVell^  there  they  were,  seven  of  'em,  lyinji;;  there  looking 
at  von  vesterdav.  All  in  ijood  condition.  T  was  told 
they  have  a  place  downstairs  for  the  older  ones." 

"  Alexander,"  said  monnna  faintly,  "  I  think  T 
should  like  a  little  brandy  in  my  coiTe(\  AVere  tliere — 
were  there  any  ladies  amon^'  them,  ^fr.  ^falti^" 

"  Tliree,"  .Mr.  .Malt  responded  briskly,  'Suid  one  of 
them  had  her  hair " 


A    VoYAdK  OF   CONSOI.ATIOX. 


:t> 


**  Then  jtlmsr  dmrt  tell  ns  nitoiit  tluMii,"  iiiotimui 
cxclaiiiKMl,  and  tlic  silence  tliait  ('IisiumI  was  one  <»t"  sli<;!it 
indi^iiatinji  (tii  tlic  |tart  of  llic  Malt   family. 

**  ^^^u  l)een  seeiiij;-  tlie  town  at  all,  evt-nings^"  Mr. 
Malt  in(|nli'(Ml  *>{  the  Senator. 

*'  I  can't  say  T  have.  We've  ln'cn  seeing-  so  nmcli 
of  it  in  the  (laviiine,  we  haven't  felt  ahle  to  enjoy  any- 
thing at  niulit  e.\cci>t  our  IkhIs,"  poppa  returnecl  with  liis 
uccustonieil  <'an<lonr. 

"Just  so.  All  the  same  there's  a  p,<>o<l  deal  ^oin«r 
on  in   Paris  after  supper." 

'*  So  I've  always  heen  told,"  said  the  Senator,  light- 
ing:,' an<»ther  cijiar. 

"  'i'liev'v«'  i:<»t  what  vou  iniiiht  call  characteristic 
shows  here,     ^'ou  see  a  lot  of  life." 

"Can  vou  take  vour  ladies^"  asked  the  Sena- 
tor. 

"  Well  of  c<)urse  you  cdn,  hut  I  don't  believe  they 
would  tind  it  interesting." 

'*  'i'oo  much  life,"  said  the  Senator.  "  I  j;uess  that 
settles  it  for  me  too.  I  daresay  I'm  lackinjj:  in  original- 
ity and  enterprise,  hut  I  f:;enerally  ask  myscdf  al)out 
nn  entertainm(>nt,  'Are  .Mrs.  and  Miss  Wick  likely  to 
enjoy  it^'  If  so,  well  and  good.  If  not,  1  don't  as  a 
ride  take  it  in." 

"  lie's  a  great  comfort  that  way,"  remarked  momma 

to  :Mrs.  :Nrait. 

"  Oh,  T  don't  h'vtiucnt  them  myself,"  said  Mr.  Malt 
defensively. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


V. 


/. 


:a 


Vs 


1.0 


I.I 


If  ^  llliM 


2.5 
2.2 


1.8 


lUI  IIIIIJA  11.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


as  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


Ml 


80  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

"  Talking  of  improprieties,"  remarked  ]\Iiss  Callis, 
"  have  vou  seen  the  Xew  Salon?  " 

There  \vas  something  very  unexpected  about  ^liss 
Callis;  momma  complained  of  it.  Her  remarks  were 
never  polished  by  reflection.  She  called  herself  a  child 
of  nature,  but  she  really  resided  in  Brooklyn. 

The  Senator  said  we  had  not. 

"  Then  don't  you  go,  ^fr.  AVick.  There's  a  pic- 
ture there " 

"  We  never  look  at  such  pictures,  Miss  Callis," 
monnna  interrupted. 

"  It's  so  French,"  said  Miss  Callis. 

Momma  drew  her  shawl  round  her  preparatory  to 
withdrawing,  but  it  was  too  late. 

"  Too  French  for  words,"  continued  Miss  Callis. 
'^  The  poet  Lamartine,  with  a  note-book  and  pencil  in 
his  hand,  seated  in  a  triumi)hal  chariot,  drawn  through 
the  clouds  by  beautiful  Muses." 

"  Oh,"  said  momma,  in  a  relieved  voice,  ^'  there's 
nothing  so  dreadfully  French  about  that." 

"  You  should  have  seen  it,"  said  ^liss  Callis.  "  It 
was  simply  immoral.     Lamartine  was  in  a  froi'k  coat!  " 

"  There  could  have  been  nothing  objectionable  in 
that,"  momma  repeated.     "  I  suppose  the  Muses " 

"  The  Muses  were  not  in  frock  coats.  They  were 
dressed  in  their  traditions,"  replied  Miss  Callis,  "  but 
they  couldn't  save  the  situation,  poor  dears." 

^fomma  looked  as  if  she  wished  she  had  the  courage 
to  ask  ]\Iiss  Callis  to  explain. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


8t 


"  In  picture  galleries,"  remarked  pojipa,  ''  we've  seen 
only  the  Lnxcniboiirg  and  the  Louvre.  The  Louvre, 
I  acknowledge,  is  worthy  of  a  second  visit.  But  I  don't 
,  Ixdieve  we'll  have  time  to  get  round  again." 

'^  We've  got  to  get  a  hustle  on  ourselves  in  a  day 
or  two,"  said  ^Ir.  ]\lalt,  as  we  se})arated  for  the  night. 
"  There's  all  Italy  and  Switzerland  waiting  for  us,  and 
they're  hound  to  he  done,  because  we've  got  circular 
tickets.  Ijut  there's  something  about  this  town  that  I 
hate  to  leave.'^ 

"  He  doesn't  know  whether  it's  tiie  Arc  de  Triouiphe 
on  the  Bois  de  Loulogne  or  the  Opera  (^jmicpie,  or 
what,"  said  Mrs.  Malt  in  affectionate  criticism.  '"  But 
we've  been  here  a  week  over  our  tiuie  now,  and  he 
doesn't  seem  able  to  tear  himself  awav." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,"  exclaimed  ^Ir.  ^lalt,  pro- 
ducing a  newspaper,  "  it's  this  little  old  New  York 
Herald.  There's  no  use  comparing  it  with  any  Ameri- 
can newspaper,  and  it  wouldn't  be  fair  to  do  so;  but  I 
wonder  these  French  rags,  in  a  fcjreign  tongue,  aren't 
ashamed  to  be  published  in  the  same  capital  with  it.  It 
doesn't  take  above  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  read  in  the 
mornings,  but  it's  a  quarter  of  an  hour  of  solid  com- 
fort that  you  don't  expect  somehow  abroad.  If  the  New 
Yorh  Herald  were  only  published  in  Rome  I  wouldn't 
mind  going  there." 

"  There's  something,"  said  poppa,  thoughtfully,  as 
we  ascended  to  the  third  floor,  ''  in  what  ;^^alt  says." 

K^ext  day  we  spent  an  hour  buying  trunks  for  the 


82  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

acc'oiuiiiodation  of  the  unattainable  elsewhere.  Then 
poppa  reminded  us  that  we  liad  an  important  satisfac- 
tion yet  to  experience.  "  Business  l)efore  ])leasure,"  he 
said,  "  certainly.  But  we've  been  im])roving  our  minds 
pretty  hard  for  the  last  few  days,  and  I  feel  the  need 
of  a  little  relaxation.  1).  V.  and  W.  1^.,  I  proi)ose  this 
afternoon  to  make  the  ascent  of  the  Eiifel  Tower.  Are 
you  on?  " 

"  I  will  accompany  you,  Alexander,  if  it  is  safe," 
said  momma,  "  and,  if  it  is  unsafe,  I  couldn't  possibly 
let  you  go  without  me." 

Momma  is  naturally  a  person  of  some  timidity,  but 
when  the  Senator  proposes  to  incur  any  danger,  she 
always  suggests  that  he  shall  do  it  over  her  dead  body. 

I  forget  where  we  were  at  the  time,  but  I  know  that 
we  had  only  to  walk  through  the  perpetual  motion  of 
Paris,  across  a  bridge,  and  down  a  few  steps  on  the  other 
side,  to  find  the  little  steamer  that  took  us  by  the  river 
to  the  Tower.  AVe  might  have  gone  by  omnibus  or  by 
fiacre,  but  if  we  had  we  should  nev^r  liave  known  what 
a  street  the  Seine  is,  sliding  through  Paris,  brown  in 
the  open  sun,  dark  under  the  shadowing  arches  of  the 
bridges,  full  of  hastening  comers  and  goers  from  land- 
ing-place to  landing-place,  up  and  down.  It  gave  us 
quite  a  new  familiarity  with  the  river,  which  had  been 
before  only  a  part  of  the  landscape,  and  one  of  the  things 
that  made  Paris  imposing.  We  saw  that  it  was  a  high- 
way of  traffic,  and  that  the  little,  brisk,  business-like 
steamers  were  full  of  people,  who  went  about  in  them 


•   pr'i  "T*  »"t«ip^  "^ '  If 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


83 


because  it  was  the  elieapest  and  most  convenient  way, 
and  not  at  all  for  the  i)leasurc  of  a  trip  by  water.  We 
noticed,  too,  a  difference  in  these  river-going-  people. 
Some  of  them  carried  baskets,  and  some  of  them  read  the 
Petit  Journal,  and  thev  all  comfortablv  submitted  to 
the  good-natured  bullying  of  the  mariner  in  charge. 
There  were  elderlv  women  in  black,  with  a  button  or 
two  off  their  tight  bodices,  and  children  with  patched 
shoes  carrying  an  assortment  of  vegetables,  and  middle- 
aged  men  in  slouch  hats,  smoking  tobacco  that  would 
have  been  forbidden  by  public  statute  anywhere  else. 
They  all  treated  us  with  a  respect  and  consideration 
which  we  had  not  observed  in  the  Avenue  de  I'Opera, 
and  I  noticed  the  Senator  visibly  expanding  in  it.  There 
was  also  a  man  and  a  little  boy,  and  a  dog,  all  lunching 
out  of  the  same  basket.  Afterward,  on  being  requested 
to  do  so,  the  dog  performed  tricks — French  ones — to 
the  enjoyment  and  satisfaction  of  all  three.  There 
was  a  great  deal  of  politeness  and  good  feeling,  and 
if  they  were  not  Capi  and  Tlemi  and  Vitalis  in  ^'Sans 
FamiUr,'^  it  was  merely  because  their  circumstances 
were  different. 

As  we  stood  looking  at  the  Eiffel  Tower,  ])oppa  said 
he  thought  if  he  were  in  my  place  he  wouldn't  describe 
it.  "  It's  old  news,"  he  said,  "  and  there's  nothing  the 
general  public  dislike  so  much  as  that.  Every  liotel- 
})orter  in  Chicago  knows  that  it's  three  hundred  metres 
high,  and  that  you  can  see  through  it  all  the  way  up. 
There  it  is,  and  I  feel  as  if  I'd  passed  my  boyhood  in  its 


84 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


shadow.  That  way  I  iimst  say  it's  a  disappointment. 
I  was  expecting  it  to  be  more  unexpected,  if  you  under- 
stand." 

.Momma  and  I  quite  agreed.  It  had  the  familiarity 
of  a  demonstration  of  Euclid,  and  to  the  non-engineering 
mind  was  about  as  interesting.  The  Senator  felt  so  well 
accjuainted  witli  it  that  he  hesitated  about  buying  a  de- 
scriptive pamphlet.  "  They  want  to  sell  a  stranger  too 
much  information  in  this  country,"  he  said.  "'  The 
meanest  American  intelligence  is  equal  to  stepping  into 
an  elevator  and  stei)ping  out  again."  But  he  bought 
one  nevertheless,  and  was  particularly  pleased  with  it, 
not  only  because  it  was  the  cheapest  thing  in  Paris  at 
five  cents,  but  because,  as  he  said  himself,  it  contained 
an  amount  of  enthusiasm  not  usually  available  at  any 
price. 

The  Senator  thought,  as  we  entered  the  elevator  at 
the  first  story,  that  the  acconnnodation  compared  very 
well  indeed  with  anything  in  his  experience,  lie  had 
only  one  criticism — there  was  no  smoking-room.  We 
had  a  slioht  difficultv  with  momma  at  the  second  story 
— she  did  not  wish  to  change  her  elevator.  Inside  she 
said  she  felt  perfectly  secure,  but  the  tower  itself  she 
knew  vuist  waggle  at  that  height  when  once  you  stepped 
out.  In  the  end,  however,  we  persuaded  her  not  to  go 
down  before  she  had  made  the  ascent,  and  she  rose  to 
the  top  with  her  eyes  shut.  When  we  finally  got  out, 
however,  the  sight  of  numbers  of  young  ladies  selling 
Eiffel    Tower   mementoes    steadied    her    nerves.      She 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


85 


agreed  witli  jtoppa  tliat  business  ])reMiises  would  never 
let  on  anything'  l)ut  the  most  stable  basis. 

''  It's  exactly  as  Brandev  said,"  remarked  the  8ena- 
tor.  ''  You're  U})  so  high  that  the  scenerv,  so  far  as 
Paris  is  concerned,  becomes  perfectly  ridicidous.  It 
might  as  well  be  a  map." 

^"DonH  look  over,  Alexand(M*,"  said  momma.  ''  It 
will  fill  von  with  a  wild  desire  to  throw  yourself  down. 
It  is  said  always  to  have  that  effect." 

"  '  The  past  ends  in  this  plain  at  your  feet,'  "  (pioted 
poppa  critically  from  the  guide-book,  "  '  the  futun^  will 
there  be  fulfilled.'  I  suppose  they  did  feel  a  bit  uppish 
when  they'd  got  as  high  as  this — but  you'd  think  France 
was  about  the  only  rejiublic  at  present  doing  business, 
wouldn't  von? " 

I  pointed  out  the  Pantheon  down  below  and  St.  Eti- 
enne  du  J\Iont,  and  po])pa  was  inunediately  filled  witli 
a  poignant  regret  that  we  had  spent  so  much  time  seeing 
public  buildings  on  foot.  "  Whereas,"  said  he,  ''  from 
our  present  point  of  view  we  could  have  done  them  all 
in  ten  minutes.  As  it  is,  we  shall  be  in  a  position  to 
say  we've  seen  everything  there  is  to  be  seen  in  Paris. 
Brandey  won't  be  able  to  tell  us  it's  a  pity  we've  missed 
anything.  However,"  he  continued,  "  we  must  be  con- 
scientious about  it.  I've  no  desire  to  play  it  low  down 
on  Bramley.  Let  us  walk  round  and  ])ick  out  the  places 
of  interest  he's  most  likely  to  exi)ect  to  catch  us  on, 
and  look  at  them  sei)arately.  I  should  hate  to  think 
I  wasn't  telling  the  truth  about  a  thing  like  that." 


80  A  VOYAGE  OF  (CONSOLATION. 

"  Wo  walked  round  and  specifically  observed  the 
"  Ecole  des  P>eanx  Arts,"  the  ''  Palais  d'liidnstrie," 
''  Liberty  Enlightening  the  World,"  and  other  objects, 
])0])pa  carefully  noting  against  each  of  them  "  seen  from 
Eiifel  Tower."  As  we  made  our  way  to  the  river  side 
we  noticed  four  other  peoj)le,  two  ladies  and  two  gentle- 
men, looking  at  the  military  balloon  hanging  over  Aleu- 
don.  They  all  had  their  backs  to  us,  and  there  was  to 
me  something  dissimilarly  familiar  about  three  of  those 
backs.  While  I  was  trying  to  analyse  it  one  of  the  gen- 
tlemen turned,  and  caught  sight  of  poppa.  In  another 
instant  the  highest  elevation  yet  made  by  engineering 
skill  was  the  scene  of  three  impetuous  American  hand- 
clasps, and  four  impulsive  American  voices  were  say- 
ing, "  Why  liow  do  you  do!  "  The  gentleman  was  Mr. 
Richard  Dod  of  Chicago,  known  to  our  family  without 
interruption  since  he  wore  long  clothes.  Mr.  Dod  had 
come  into  his  patrimony  and  simultaneously  disappeared 
in  the  direction  of  Europe  six  months  before,  since  when 
we  had  onlv  heard  vaguelv  that  he  had  lost  most  of  it, 
but  was  inaiterably  cheerful;  and  there  was  nobody, 
apparently,  he  expected  so  little  or  desired  so  much  to 
see  in  Paris  as  the  Senator,  momma  and  me.  Poppa 
called  him  "  Dick,  my  boy,"  momma  called  him  "  my 
dear  Dicky,"  I  called  him  plain  "  Dick,"  and  when  this 
had  been  going  on  for,  possibly,  five  minutes,  the  older 
and  larger  of  the  two  ladies  of  the  party  swung  round 
with  a  majesty  I  at  once  associated  with  my  earlier  Lon- 
don experiences,  and  regarded  us  through  her  pince  nez. 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


87 


Thoro  was  no  mistakiiii;'  her  disapproval.  I  had  soon 
it  h('for(\  We  wcmv  Amoricans  and  slic  was  Airs.  Por- 
theris  of  Half  ^Moon-street,  l^iccadilly.  I  saw  that  she 
recognised  nie  and  was  trving  to  make  uj)  lier  mind 
wlietlier,  in  view  of  the  complication  of  Mv.  J)od,  to 
bow  or  not.  But  the  woman  who  hesitates  is  lost,  even 
thongli  she  be  a  British  matron  of  massive  ])rejndices 
and  a  figure  to  match.  In  Airs.  Portheris's  instant  of 
vacillation,  I  stepped  forward  with  such  enthusiasm 
that  she  was  compelled  to  take  down  her  pinrr  ncz  an<l 
hold  out  a  superior  hand.  I  took  it  warndy,  and  turned 
to  my  parents  with  a  joy  which  was  not  in  the  least 
affected.  "  Alonnna,"  I  exclaimed,  "  try  to  think  of 
the  very  last  jierson  who  would  naturally  cross  your 
mind — our  relation,  Airs.  Portheris.  Poppa,  allow  me 
to  introduce  vou  to  vour  aunt — Airs.  Portheris.  Your 
far  distant  nephew  from  Chicago,  Air.  Joshua  Peter 
AVick." 

It  was  a  moment  to  be  remend)ered — we  all  said  so 
afterwards.  Everything  hung  upon  Airs.  Portheris's  at- 
titude. But  it  was  immediatelv  evident  that  Airs.  Por- 
tlieris  considered  parents  of  any  kind  excusable,  even 
commendable!  Her  manner  said  as  much — it  also  im- 
plied, however,  that  she  could  not  possibly  be  held 
responsible  for  transatlantic  connections  by  a  former 
marriage.  Alomma  was  nervous,  but  collected.  She 
bowed  a  distant  AVastgaggle  bow,  an  heirloom  in  the 
family,  which  gave  Airs.  Portheris  to  understand  that 
if  any  cordiality  was  to  characterise  the  occasion,  it 


88 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


would  have  to  ('iiuuiato  from  licr.  licsidcs,  ^Irs.  Por- 
tlicris  was  })opj)a'.s  relation,  and  would  naturaliv  have 
to  be  guarded  against.  Poi)pa,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
cordiality  itself — he  always  is. 

"Why,  is  tliat  so?"  said  po])pa,  looking  earnestly 
at  Mrs.  Portheris  and  firndy  retaiinng  her  hand.  "  Is 
this  my  very  own  Aunt  Caroline?  " 

"  At  one  time,"  res])onde(l  ^Irs.  Portheris  with  a 
diflicult  smile,  "  and,  I  fear,  by  marriage  only." 

"Ah,  to  be  sure,  to  be  sure!  Poor  Unele  Jin.my 
gave  plaee  to  another.  But  we  won't  say  anything 
more  about  that.  Especially  as  you've  been  efpially 
unfortunate  with  your  second,"  said  poppa  sym})athet- 
ically.  "  Well,  I'm  sure  I'm  pleased  to  meet  you 
— glad  to  shake  you  by  the  hand."  He  gave  that 
mend)er  one  more  pressure  as  he  spoke  and  relin- 
quished it. 

"  It  is  extremely  unlooked  for,"  replied  his  Aunt 
Caroline,  and  looked  at  Mr.  Dod,  who  qusiled,  as  if 
he  were  in  some  way  responsible  for  it.  *'  I  confess  I 
am  not  in  the  habit  of  meeting  my  connections  promiscu- 
ously abroad."  When  we  came  to  analyse  the  impro- 
priety of  this  it  was  difficult,  but  we  felt  as  a  family 
very  disreputable  at  the  time.  Islr.  Dod  radiated  sym]ia- 
thy  for  us.    Poppa  looked  concerned. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  he,  "  we  ought  to  have  called 
on  you  at  your  London  residence.  Aunt  Caroline.  And 
if  we  had  been  able  to  make  a  more  protracted  stay  than 
just  about  long  enough,  as  you  might  say,  to  see  what 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


89 


time  it  was,  we  would  liavo  done  so.  Uiit  yon  sec  liow 
it  was. 

''  Vvny  don't  mention  it,"  said  Mrs.  Portlicris.  "  It 
is  very  unlikely  tliat   I  sliould  liave  lu'cn  at  liome." 

"  Tlien  (Itars  all  right,"  p(»])|)a  replied  with  relief. 

"  London  lias  so  many  monuments,"  murmured 
Dieky  Dod,  regarding  Mrs.  Portheris's  impressive  back. 
*'  It  is  (piite  imi)ossii)l(>  to  visit  them  all." 

"  The  view  from  here,"  our  relation  remarked  in  a 
leave-taking  tone,  "  is  very  beautiful,  is  it  not^  " 

''  It's  very  extensive,"  replied  jjoppa,  ''  but  I  notice 
the  iidiabitants  round  about  seem  to  think  it  end)ra('es 
the  biggest  part  of  civilisation.  I  admit  it's  a  good- 
sized  view,  but  that's  what  I  call  enlarging  ui)on  it." 

"  Come,  Mr.  Dod,"  commanded  Mrs.  Portheris,  ''  we 
must  rejoin  the  rest  of  our  party.  They  are  on  the  other 
side." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Dickv.  "  P>ut  vou  must  give  mo 
your  address,  Mrs.  AVick.  Thanks.  And  there  now! 
I've  been  away  from  Illinois  a  good  long  time,  but  I'm 
not  going  to  forget  to  congratulate  Chicago  on  getting 
you  once  more  into  the  United  States  Senate,  :Mr.  Wick. 
I  did  what  I  could  in  my  humble  way,  you  know." 

"  I  know  you  did,  Kichard,"  returned  poppa  warmly, 
"  and  if  there's  any  little  Consulship  in  foreign  parts 
that  it  would  amuse  vou  to  fill " 

V' 

Mrs.  Portheris,  in  the  act  of  exchanging  unemotional 
farewells  with  mamma,  turned  round.  "  Do  I  under- 
stand that  you  are  now  a  Senator?  "  she  inquired.     "  I 


00  A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

liad  no  idcti  of  it.  It  is  ('crtainlv  a  distiiiL'tion — an 
Aiiicrican  (listinctioii,  of  course — Itut  you  can't  help 
tliat.  It  does  vou  credit.  I  trust  von  will  use  vour 
inlluence  to  put  an  end  to  tlie  Mormons." 

"  As  far  as  that  i!,oes,"  poppa  returned  with  depre- 
cation, ''  I  believe  my  business  does  take  me  to  the  Capi- 
tol pretty  regularly  now.  Bnt  I'd  be  sorry  to  think  any 
more  of  myself  on  that  account.  Your  nephew,  Aunt 
C^irolinc,  is  just  the  same  jdain  American  he  was  be- 
fore." 

"  I  hope  you  will  vote  to  exterminate  them,"  con- 
tinued jMrs.  Portheris  with  decision.  ''  Dear  me!  A 
Senator--!  sui)pose  you  must  have  a  great  deal  of  in- 
fluence in  your  own  country!  Ah,  here  are  the  truants! 
AVe  might  all  go  down  in  the  lift  together." 

The  truants  appeared  looking  conscious.  One  of 
them,  when  he  saw  me,  looked  astonished  as  well,  and 

1  cannot  say  that  T  myself  was  perfectly  unmoved  when 
I  realised  that  it  was  j\[r.  Maiferton!  There  was  no 
reason  why  Mr.  Maiferton  should  not  have  been  at  the 
top  of  the  Eiffel  Tower  in  the  society  of  Mrs.  Portheris, 
Mr.  Dod,  and  another,  that  afternoon,  but  for  the  mo- 
ment it  seemed  to  me  uniquely  amazing.  We  shook 
hands,  however — it  was  the  only  thing  to  do — and  Mr. 
^faiferton  said  this  was  indeed  a  surprise  as  if  it  were 
the  most  ordinary  thing  possible.  Mrs.  Portheris  looked 
on  at  our  greeting  with  an  air  of  objecting  to  things 
she  had  not  been  taught  to  expect,  and  remarked  that 
she  had  no  idea  Mr.  Mafferton  was  one  of  my  London 


I  n 


t 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


01 


1 

■7 


I      J 


ac(|uaintaiu'os.  "  J>iit  tiicii,''  she  coutiniUMl  in  a  tone 
of  just  r('j)r(>a(')i,  *'  I  saw  so  littk'  of  you  (lurinu'  vour 
season  in  town  that  you  niij^lit  liavc  niadc^  tli<'  (Queen's 
a('(iuaintanc('  and  all  tlic  lioyal  Family,  and  I  should 
have  l)een  none  the  wiser." 

It  was  too  niueli  to  expeet  of  one's  momma  that  she 
sliould  let  an  opportunity  like  that  slip,  and  mine  took 
hold  of  it  with  hoth  hands. 

''  I  helieve  my  dauj^hter  did  make  Vietoria's  ae- 
qnaintanee,  Mrs.  J\)rtheris,"  said  she,  "  and  we  were  all 
very  ])Iease(l  about  it.  Your  (^lU'cn  has  a  very  ^ood 
reputation  in  our  country.  We  think  her  a  wise  sover- 
eign and  a  perfect  huly.  1  suppose  you  often  go  to  her 
Drawing  Rooms." 

^Irs.  l^ortheris  wore  the  expression  of  one  passing 
through  the  Stone  Age  to  a  somewhat  more  mobile 
period.  "  I  really  think,"  she  said,  "  I  shouhl  have  been 
made  aware  of  that.  To  luive  had  a  young  rcdative  ])re- 
sented  without  one's  knowledge  seems  too  extraordinary. 
No,"  she  continued,  turning  to  poppa,  "  the  only  thing 
I  heard  of  this  young  lady — it  came  to  me  in  a  very 
roundabout  numner — was  that  she  had  gone  home  to 
be  married.  Was  not  that  your  intention?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Portheris,  turning  to  me. 

"  It  was,"  I  said.     There  was  nothing  else  to  say. 

"  Then  may  T  inquire  if  you  fulfilled  it  ?  " 

"  I  didn't,  Mrs.  Tortheris,"  said  I.     I  was  very  red, 
but  not  so  red  as  Mr.  Mafferton.     "  Circumstances  inter- 
fered."    T  w^as  prepared  for  an  inquiry  as  to  what  the 
7 


rrsyi    ,  ■  ^   '.',ri,^,r  ■;    "^'Avt'' 


92 


A    VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


circumstances  were,  and  privately  made  up  my  mind 
that  Mrs.  Portlieris  was  too  distant  a  relation  to  be  grati- 
fied with  such  information  in  the  publicity  of  the  Eiifel 
Tower.  But  she  merely  looked  at  me  with  suspicion, 
and  said  it  was  much  better  that  young  people  should 
discover  their  unsuitability  to  one  another  before  mar- 
riage than  after.  "  I  can  conceive  notliing  more  shock- 
ing than  divorce,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris,  and  her  tone  in- 
dicated tliat  I  had  probably  narrowly  escaped  it. 

We  were  rather  a  large  party  as  we  made  our  way 
to  the  elevator,  and  I  found  myself  behind  the  others 
ir  conversation  with  Dicky  Dod.  It  was  a  happiness  to 
come  thus  unexpectedly  upon  Dicky  Dod — he  gave  forth 
all  that  is  most  exhilarating  in  our  democratic  civilisa- 
tion, and  he  was  in  excellent  spirits.  As  the  young  lady 
of  Mrs.  Portheris's  party  joined  us  I  thought  I  found 
a  barometric  readiug  in  Mr.  Dod's  countenance  that  ex- 
plained the  situation.  "  I  remember  you,"  she  said 
shyly,  and  there  was  something  in  this  innocent  audacity 
and  the  blush  which  accompanied  it  that  helped  me  to 
remember  her  too.  *"'  You  came  to  see  nianmia  in  Half 
Moon-street  once.    I  am  L>abel." 

"  Dear  me!  "  I  replied,  "  so  you  are.  I  remember 
— you  had  to  go  upstairs,  hadn't  you.  Please  don't 
mind,"  I  went  on  hastily  as  Isabel  looked  distressed, 
"  you  couldn't  help  it.  I  was  very  unexpected,  and  I 
might  have  been  dangerous.  How — how  you've 
grown!  ^^  I  really  couldn't  think  of  anything  else  to 
say. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


93 


Isabel  blii.shetl  again,  Dicky  observing  with  absorbed 
adoration.  It  was  lovely  colour.  "  You  know  I  haven't 
really,"  she  said,  "  it's  all  one's  long  frocks  and  doing  up 
one's  hair,  vou  know." 

"  Miss  Portheris  only  came  out  two  months  ag.">," 
remarked  ^Ir.  Dod,  with  the  effect  of  announcing  that 
Venus  had  just  arisen  from  the  foam. 

"  Come,  young  people,"  Mrs.  Portheris  exclaiuied 
from  the  lift;  "  we  are  waiting  for  you."  Poppa  and 
monuna  and  Mr.  ^laflerton  were  already  inside.  Mrs. 
Portlieris  stood  in  the  door.  As  Isabel  entered,  I  saw 
that  ^Ir.  Dod  was  making  the  wildest  efforts  to  com- 
municate somethinij:  to  me  with  his  left  eve. 

"  Come,  young  people,"  repeated  Mrs.  Portheris. 

"  Do  you  think  it's  safe  for  so  manv?  "  asked  Dicky 
doubtfully.  "  Suppose  anything  should  (jive,  you 
know!  " 

^[rs.  Portheris  looked  undecided.  ^lomma,  from 
the  interior,  immediately  proposed  to  get  out. 

"  Safe  as  a  church,"  remarked  the  Senator. 

"What  do  you  mean,  Dod^"  demanded  Mr.  Maf- 
ferton. 

"Well,  it's  like  this,"  said  Dicky;  "Miss  Wick  is 
rather  nervous  about  overcrowding,  and  I  think  it's 
better  to  run  no  risks  myself.  You  all  go  down,  and 
we'll  follow  you  next  trip.     See?  " 

"  I  suppose  you  will  hardly  allow  thafy  Mrs.  Wick," 
said  our  relation,  with  ominous  portent. 

"Est  ce  que  vous  voulez  a  descendre,  monsieur?** 


* 


■'.f  ,:,■■■■'  ■  '  '     -  'i:  ■"  ■  ■        ■    < 


94  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

inquired  the  official  attached  to  the  elevator,  with  some 
impatience. 

"I  don't  see  what  there  is  to  object  to — I  sup- 
pose it  would  be  safer,"  momma  replied  anxiously, 
and  the  official  again  demanded  if  we  were  going 
down. 

"  Xot  this  trip,  thank  you,"  said  Dicky,  and  turned 
a  way.  Mrs.  Portheris,  who  had  taken  her  seat,  rose 
with  dignit}'.  "  In  that  case,"  said  she,  "  I  also  will 
remain  at  the  top;  "  but  her  determination  arrived  too 
late.  With  a  ferocious  gesture  the  little  official  shut 
the  door  and  gave  the  signal,  and  Mrs.  Portheris  sank 
earthwards,  a  vision  of  outraged  propriety.  I  felt  sorry 
for  momma. 

^'  And  now,"  I  inquired  of  Mr.  Dod,  "  why  was  the 
elevator  not  safe  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  said  Dicky.  "  Do  you  know  Mrs. 
Portheris  well?" 

"  Yery  slightly  indeed,"  I  replied. 

''  Xot  well  enough  to — sort  of  chum  up  with  our 
party,  I  suppose." 

"  Xot  for  worlds,"  said  I. 

Dicky  looked  so  disconsolrte  that  I  was  touched. 

"  Still,"  I  said,  ''  you'd  better  trot  out  the  circum- 
stances, Dicky.  We  haven't  forgotten  what  you  did 
in  your  humble  way,  you  know,  at  election  time.  I 
can  promise  for  the  family  that  we'll  do  anything  we 
can.  You  mustn't  ask  us  to  poison  her,  but  we  might 
lead  her  into  the  influenza." 


;P;7r;sS('*T 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


95 


"  It's  tliis  way,"  said  ^Ir.  Dod.  '*  How  romarkably 
contracted  the  Place  de  la  Concorde  looks  down  there, 

doesn't  it  I     It's  like  looking  through  the  wrong  end  of 

an  opera  glass,'' 

"  I've  observed  that,"  I  said.  "  It  won't  ho  fair  to 
keep  them  waiting  very  long  down  there  on  the  earth, 
you  know,  Dicky." 

'^  Certainly  not!  AVell,  as  I  was  saying,  your  poppa's 
Aunt  Caroline  is  a  perfect  fiend  of  a  chapcrone.  l^y 
Jove,  Mamie,  let's  be  silhouetted!  " 

"  Poppa  was  silhouetted,"  I  said,  '*•  and  the  artist 
turned  him  out  the  image  of  Senator  Frye.  Xow  he 
doesn't  resemble  Senator  Frve  in  the  least  deurce.  The 
elevator  is  ascending,  Pichard." 

Pichard  blushed  and  looked  intentlv  at  the  horizon 
bevond  Montmartre. 

"  You  see,  between  ^[iss  Portlieris  and  me,  it's  this 
way,"  he  began  recklessly,  but  with  the  vision  before 
my  eyes  of  monnna  on  the  steps  below  wanting  her 
tea,  I  cut  him  short. 

"  So  far  as  you  are  concerned,  Dicky,  I  see  the  way 
it  is,"  I  interposed  sympathetically.  "  The  question 
is " 

"  Exactly.  So  it  is.  About  Isabel.  But  I  can't 
find  out.  It  seems  to  be  so  difficult  with  an  English 
girl.  Doesn't  seem  to  think  such  a  thing  as  a — a  pro- 
posal exists.  Now  an  American  girl  is  just  as 
ready " 

"  Pichard,"   I   interrupted   severely,    "  the   circum- 


96 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


stances  do  not  require  international  comparisons.  By 
the  way,  how  do  you  happen  to  be  travelling  with — 
with  Mr.  Mafferton?" 

"  That's  exactly  where  it  comes  in,"  Mr.  Dod  ex- 
claimed luminouslv.  "  You'd  think,  the  way  ^lafferton 
purrs  round  the  old  lady,  he'd  been  a  friend  of  the  fam- 
ily from  the  ])eginning  of  time!  Fact  is,  he  met  them 
two  davs  before  thev  left  London.  /  had  known  them 
a  good  month,  and  the  venerable  one  seemed  to  take 
to  me  considerably.  There  wasn't  a  cab  she  wouldn't 
let  me  call,  nor  a  box  at  the  theatre  she  wouldn't  occupy, 
nor  a  supper  she  wouldn't  try  to  enjoy.  Used  to  ask  me 
to  tea.  Inquired  whether  I  was  High  or  Low.  That 
was  awful,  because  I  had  to  chance  it,  being  Congre- 
gational, but  I  hit  it  right — she's  Low,  too,  strong. 
Isabel  always  made  the  tea  out  of  a  canister  the  old 
lady  kept  locked.  Singular  habit  that,  locking  tea  up  in 
a  canister." 

"  You  are  wandering,  Dicky,"  I  said.  '^  And  Isabel 
used  to  ask  you  whether  you  would  have  muffins  or 
brown  bread  and  butter — I  know.     Go  on." 

"  Girls  Jiave  intuition,"  remarked  Mr.  Dod  with 
a  glance  of  admiration  which  I  discounted  with  con- 
tempt. "  Well,  then  old  Mafferton  turned  up  here  a 
week  ago.  Since  then  I  haven't  been  waltzing  in  as  I 
did  before.  Old  lady  seems  to  think  there's  a  chance 
of  keeping  the  family  pure  English — seems  to  think 
she'd  like  it  better — see?  At  least,  I  take  it  that  way; 
he's  cousin  to  a  lord,"  Dick  added  dejectedly,  "  and  you 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


97 


a 
I 

ice 
nk 

j; 

on 


know  financially  I've  been  coming  through  a  cold 
season." 

*'  It's  awkward,"  I  admitted,  "  but  old  ladies  of  no 
family  are  like  that  over  here.  I  know  Mrs.  Portheris 
is  an  old  lady  of  no  family,  because  she's  a  connection 
of  ours,  }  ou  see.  What  about  Isabel  i  Can't  you  tell 
the  least  bit?" 

"How  can  a  fellow?  She  blushes  just  as  much 
when  he  speaks  to  her  as  when  I  do." 

"  But  are  you  quite  sure,"  I  asked  delicately, 
"whether  Mr.  Mafferton  is — interested?" 

"  There's  the  worst  kind  of  danger  of  it,"  Dicky 
replied  impressively.  "  I  don't  know  whether  I  ought 
to  tell  you,  but  the  fact  is  ]\Iaiferton's  just  got  the  sack 
— I  beg  your  pardon — just  been  congeed  himself.  They 
say  she  was  an  American  and  it  was  a  bad  case;  she  be- 
haved most  unfeelingly." 

"  You  shouldn't  believe  all  you  hear,"  I  said,  "  but 
I  don't  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  it." 

"  Why,  lie's  just  in  the  mood  to  console  himself. 
What  fellow  would  think  twice  of  being  thrown  over, 
if  Miss  Portheris  were  the  alternative!  " 

"  It  depends,  Dicky,"  I  observed.  "  You  are  jump- 
ing at  conclusions." 

"  What  I  hoped,"  he  went  on  regretfully  as  we  took 
our  places  in  the  elevator,  "  was  that  we  might  travel 
together  a  bit  and  that  you  wouldn't  mind  just  now  and 
then  taking  old  Mafferton  off  our  hands,  you  know." 

"  Dicky,"  I  said,  as  we  swiftly  descended,  "  here  is 


1 


98 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


our  itinorarv     C 

«kes  to  Sw,-t.eria„.J,  «„d  so  o„      w";  "'  *''™"^"'  "'« 
K  we  «/,omW  meet  again   T  ,1     v       "     "''''  '•^"'"""•ow. 

it  personally,  but  I'J]  see^vhlt        ^'■"""'*  '"  ""<''^«'"'« 

"liat  momma  can  do." 


il        ! 


3ugh  the 
morrow, 
itlertake 


! 


il 


Breakfast  with  Dicky  Dod. 


■  II  ap  ■ifT'v^^vii  t^wri 


CHAPTER  VITI. 


4 


Poppa  said  as  wo  stoaiiUMl  f)ut  of  Paris  that  night 
that  the  Prosidoiicv  itself  would  not  induce  him  to  reside 
there,  and  1  think  he  meant  it.  I  don't  know  whether 
the  omnibus  tiumeros  and  the  vorrcsponddiivcx  where 
you  change,  or  the  men  sitting  staring  (tn  the  side  walks 
drinking  things  for  hours  at  a  time,  or  getting  no  vege- 
tables to  speak  of  with  his  joint,  annoyed  him  most, 
but  he  was  very  decided  in  his  views.  Momma  and  I 
were  not  (juite  so  certain;  we  had  a  guilty  sense  of 
ingratitude  when  we  thought  of  the  creations  in  the 
van;  but  the  cobblestones  biassed  monuna  a  good  deal, 
who  hoped  she  should  get  some  sleeji  in  Italy.  1  had 
breakfasted  that  morning  in  the  most  amusing  way  with 
Dicky  Dod  at  a  cafe  in  the  Champs  Elysees — poppa  and 
monuna  had  an  engagement  with  ]\[r.  and  Mrs.  !A[alt 
and  couhln't  come — and  in  the  leniency  of  the  recollec- 
tion I  said  something  favourable  about  the  Arc  de  Tri- 
omphe  at  sunset;  but  I  gathered  from  the  S(Miator's 
remarks  that,  while  the  sunset  was  fine  enough,  he  didn't 
sec  the  propriety  in  using  it  that  way  as  a  background 
for  Xapoleon  Bonaparte,  so  to  speak. 

"  Result  is,"  said  the  Senator,  ''  the  intelligent  for- 

99 


I  i^wjv>  fi^^i.  ■H(YwwtP»SW^ppijpHi» 


100 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


eigner's  got  protty  nearly  to  go  out  of  the  town  to  see 
a  sunset  without  having  to  think  about  Aboukir  and 
Alexandria.  JJut  that's  Paris  all  over.  There  isn't  a 
street,  or  a  public  building,  or  a  statue,  or  a  fountain, 
or  a  thing  that  doesn't  shout  at  you,  *  Look  at  nie! 
Think  about  nie!  Your  admiration  or  vour  life!  * 
Those  Frenchmen  don't  mind  it  because  it  only  repeats 
what  they're  always  saying  themselves,  but  if  you're 
a  foreigner  it  gets  on  your  nerves.  That  city  is  too  uni- 
formly fine  to  be  of  much  use  to  me — it  keeps  me  all 
the  time  wondering  why  I'm  not  in  one  eternal  good 
humour  to  match.  There's  good  old  London  now — 
always  looks,  I  should  think,  just  as  you  feel.  Looks  like 
history,  too,  and  change,  and  contrast,  and  the  different 
varieties  of  the  human  lot." 

*'  I  see  what  you  mean,  poppa,"  I  said.  "  There's 
too  much  equality  in  Paris,  isn't  there — to  be  interest- 
ing," but  the  Senator  was  too  deeply  engaged  in  getting 
out  momma's  smelling  salts  to  corroborate  this  interpre- 
tation. 

It  is  a  very  long  way  to  Genoa  if  you  don't  stop  at 
Aix-les-Bains  or  anywhere — twenty-four  hours — but 
Mont  Cenis  occurs  in  the  night,  which  is  suitable  in  a 
tunnel.  There  came  a  chill  through  the  darkness  that 
struck  to  one's  very  marrow,  and  we  all  rose  with  one 
accord  and  groped  about  for  more  rugs.  When  broad 
daylight  came  it  was  Savoy,  and  we  realised  what  we 
had  been  through.  The  Senator  was  inclined  to  deplore 
missing  the  realisation  of  the  Mont  Cenis,  and  it  was 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


101 


oiilv  wlion  iiiuiimia  said  it  was  a  pitv  he  hadn't  taken 
a  train  that  would  have  brought  us  through  in  the  (hiy- 
tinie  and  enahk'd  him  to  examine  it,  that  he  eeased  to 
express  regret.  My  parents  are  often  vehiek's  of  phi- 
loso[)liy  for  eaeh  other. 

Jk'si<U's,  in  the  eourse  of  the  morning  tlie  Senator 
aeknowledged  tluit  he  got  more  tunnels  than  he  had 
any  idea  he  had  paid  for.  They  eame  with  a  preci})!- 
taney  that  interfered  innnenselv  with  anv  eonneeted 
idea  of  the  scenery,  though  monrnia,  in  my  interest,  did 
her  best  to  form  one.  "  Note,  uiy  love,"  she  said,  as  we 
began  to  penetrate  the  frontier  country,  "  that  majestic 
blue  summit  on  the  horizon  to  the  left  " — obliteration, 
and  another  tunnel!  ^^Don^t  miss  that  jagged  line  of 
snows  just  beyond  the  back  of  po])pa's  head,  dear  one. 
(^uick!  they  are  melting  away!  " — but  the  next  tunnel 
was  ([uicker.  '"  Put  down  that  the  dazzling  purity  of 
these  lovely  peaks  must  be  realised,  for  it  cannot  be  " — 
darkness,  and  the  blight  of  another  tunned.  It  was  very 
hard  on  momma's  imagination,  and  she  finally  accepted 
the  Senator's  warning  that  it  would  be  thrown  com- 
pletely out  of  gear  if  she  went  on,  and  abandoned  the 
attempt  to  form  complete  sentences  between  tunnels. 
It  was  much  simpler  to  exclaim  *'  Splendid!  "  or  "  Glori- 
ous! "  which  one  could  generally  do  without  being  in- 
terrnj)ted. 

We  were  not  prepared  to  enjoy  anytliing  when  we 
arrived  at  Genoa,  but  there  was  Christopher  Columbus 
in  bronze,  just  outside  the  station  in  a  little  place  by 


102 


A  VOYAOE  OF  CONSOLATION, 


liiiiisclf,  ami  wo  felt  boniul  to  j^ivc  liiia  our  attention 
before  we  went  any  turtlier.  lie  was  patting'  Americii 
on  tlie  head,  hoth  of  them  life  size,  and  earrvinj;  on  that 
historieal  argument  with  his  sailors  in  has-relief  below; 
and  he  looked  a  very  iine  eharacter.  As  |)o|)))a  said,  he 
was  just  the  man  you  would  i)i('k  out  to  discover  Ameri- 
ca. The  Si'uator  also  remarked  that  vou  could  see  from 
the  position  of  the  statue,  rij;ht  tliere  in  full  view  of 
the  travelling'  pid)lic,  that  the  Genoese  thoji^ht  a  lot 
of  Cohnnbus;  relied  u])on  him,  in  fact,  as  their  biggest 
attraction,  ^fomma  examined  him  from  the  carriage. 
She  said  it  was  most  gratifying  to  see  him  there  in  his 
own  home,  so  to  s])eak;  but  her  enthusiasm  did  not  in- 
duce her  to  get  out.  ^lomma's  ])atriotisni  has  always 
to  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  state  of  her 
nerves. 

'J'he  state  of  all  our  nerves  was  healed  in  a  quarter  of 
an  hour.  The  Senator  showed  his  couj)ons  somewhat 
truculently,  but  they  were  received  as  things  of  price 
with  disarming  bows  and  real  gladness.  Wc  were  led 
through  rambling  passages  into  lofty  white  chambers, 
with  marble  floors  and  iron  bedsteads,  full  of  simplicity 
and  cleanliness,  Avhere  we  removed  all  recollections  of 
Paris  without  being  obliged  to  consider  a  stuffy  carpet 
or  satin-covered  furniture.  Italy,  in  the  persons  of  the 
portier  and  the  chambermaid,  laid  hold  of  us  with  in- 
telligible smiles,  and  we  were  charmed.  Inside,  the 
place  was  full  of  long  free  lines  and  cool  polished  sur- 
faces, and  pleasant  curves.     Outside,  a  thick-fronded 


^^^i^" 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CoXSOLATION. 


103 


palm  swayed  in  tlic  evening  wind  against  a  cliiuhmj^ 
hill  of  niany-rint<'d,  nianv-windowcd  houses,  in  all  the 
soft  eolonrs  we  knew  of  before.  When  the  portlrr  ad- 
dressed nioninia  as  "  Siunura  "  her  en})  <d'  bliss  ran  over, 
and  she  made  nj)  her  mind  that  she  felt  able,  after  all, 
to  go  down  to  dinner. 

Kemembering  their  sentiments,  we  bowed  as  slightly 
as  possible  when  we  saw  the  Miss  Hinghams  across  the 
table,  and  the  Senator  threw  that  into  his  voice,  as  he 
in(piired  how  thev  liked  la  Jh-IIc  Ildllr  so  far,and  whether 
they  had  had  any  tronble  with  their  trnnks  coming  in, 
which  might  have  given  them  to  understand  that  his 
politeness  was  very  i)erfnnctorv.  If  they  perceived  it, 
they  allowed  it  io  intlnence  them  the  other  way,  how- 
ever. Thev  asked,  almost  as  cordiallv  as  if  we  were 
middle-class  English  })eo])le,  v/hether  we  had  actually 
survived  that  trip  to  Versailles,  jind  forbore  to  comment 
■when  we  said  we  had  enjoyed  it,  beyond  saying  that  if 
there  was  <me  enviable  thing  it  was  the  American  capa- 
city for  pleasure.  Yet  one  could  see  quite  ])Iainly  that 
the  vacuum  caused  bv  the  absence  of  the  American 
capacity  for  pleasure  was  filled  in  their  ease  by  some- 
thing very  superior  to  it. 

"  This  city  new  to  you?  "  asked  the  Senator  as  the 
meal  progressed. 

"  In  a  sense,  yes,"  replied  Afiss  Xancy  Bingham. 

"  We've  never  studied  it  before,"  said  Aliss  Cora. 

"  I  suppose  it  has  a  fascination  all  its  own,"  re- 
marked momma. 


104  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

"  Oh,  ratlior!  "  exclaimed  ^liss  Xancy  Binglmm, 
and  1  reflected  that  when  she  was  in  England  she  must 
have  seen  a  great  deal  of  school-boy  society.  I  decided 
at  once,  noting  its  effect  upon  the  lips  of  a  middle-aged 
maiden  lady,  that  momma  must  not  be  allowed  to  pick 
up  the  ex})ression. 

"  It's  simply  full  of  associations  of  old  families — 
the  Dorias,  the  Pallavicinis,  the  Durazzos,"  remarked 
Miss  Cora.     "  Do  you  gloat  on  the  mediieval?  " 

*'  We're  perfectly  prepared  to,"  said  the  Senator. 
"  I  believe  we've  got  both  Murray  and  Baedeker  for 
this  place.  Now  do  you  connnit  your  facts  to  memory 
before  going  to  bed  the  night  previous,  or  do  you  learn 
them  up  as  you  go  along? " 

"  Oh,"  said  Miss  Xancy  Bingham,  "  we  are  of  the 
opinion  that  one  should  always  visit  these  places  with 
a  mind  prepared.  Though  I  myself  have  no  objection 
to  carrying  a  guide-book,  provided  it  is  covered  with 
brown  paper." 

"  Then  you  acquire  it  all  beforehand,"  commented 
the  Senator.  "  That,  T  must  say,  is  commendable  of 
you.  And  it's  certainly  the  only  business-like  way  of 
proceeding.  The  amount  of  time  a  person  loses  fooling 
over  Baedeker  on  the  spot " 

"  One  of  us  does,"  acknowledged  Miss  Xancy.  ^'  We 
take  it  in  turns.  And  I  must  say  it  is  generally  my 
sister."  And  she  turned  to  Miss  Cora,  who  blushed 
and  said,  "  How  can  you,  Xancy!  " 

"  And  you  use  her,  for  that  particular  public  build- 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  105 

ing  or  historic  scene,  as  a  sort  of  portable,  self-acting 
reference  library,"  remarked  j)oppa.  "  That's  an  idea 
that  commends  itself  to  me,  daughter,  in  connection 
with  you." 

I  was  about  to  reply  in  terms  of  deprecation,  when 
a  confusion  of  sound  drifted  in  from  the  street,  of  arriv- 
ing cabs  and  expostulating  voices.  The  ^liss  Binghama 
looked  at  each  other  in  consternation  and  said  with  one 
accord,  "  It  was  the  Fulda!  " 

"  \Vas  it?  "  inquired  poppa.  "  Do  you  refer  to  the 
German  Lloyd  steamship  of  that  name  i  " 

"'  We  do,"  said  Miss  Xancy.  "  About  an  hour  ago 
we  were  sure  we  saw  her  steaming  into  the  harbour." 

"  She  comes  from  Xew  York,  I  suppose,"  momma 
remarked. 

"  She  does  indeed,"  said  !Miss  Xancy,  "  and  she's 
been  lying  at  the  docks  unloading  Americans  ever  since 
she  arrived.  And  here  they  are.  Cora,  have  you  fin- 
ished?" 

Cora  said  she  had,  and  without  further  parley  the 
ladies  rose  and  rustled  away.  Their  invading  fellow- 
countrymen  gratefully  took  their  jilaces,  and  the  Senator 
sent  a  glance  of  scorn  after  them  strong  enough  to  make 
them  turn  round.  After  dinner,  we  saw  a  collection 
of  cabin  trunks  and  valises  standing  in  the  entrance 
hall  labelled  BIXGHAM,  and  knew  that  Miss  X^'ancy 
and  Miss  Cora  were  again  in  flight  before  the  Xemesis 
of  the  x\merican  Eagle.  I  will  not  repeat  poppa's  senti- 
ments. 


^I^^^r 


106  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

On  the  hotel  doorstep  next  morning  waited  Ales- 
sandro  Bebbini.  lie  waited  for  us-  -an  hour  and  a  half, 
because  momma  had  some  re-packing  to  do  and  we  were 
going  on  next  day.  Xobody  had  asked  him  to  wait,  but 
he  had  a  carriage  ready  and  the  look  of  having  been 
ordered  three  months  previously.  lie  presented  his  card 
to  the  Senator,  who  glanced  at  him  and  said,  "  Do  I 
look  as  if  I  wanted  a  shave?  " 

Alessandro  Bebbini  smiled — an  olive  flash  of  pity 
and  amusement.  '^  I  make  not  the  shava,  Signore,"  he 
said,  "  I  am  the  courier — for  your  kind  dispositione  I 
am  here." 

"  You  should  never  judge  foreigners  by  their  appear- 
ance, Alexander,"  rebuked  momma. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Bebbini,"  said  the  Senator,  "  I  guess 
I've  got  to  apologise  to  you.  You  see  they  told  me  in- 
side there  that  I  should  probabh'  find  a — a  tonsorial 
artist  out  here  on  the  steps  " — poppa  never  minds  tell- 
ing a  story  to  save  people's  feelings.  "  But  you  haven't 
convinced  me,"  he  continued,  "  that  I've  got  any  use 
for  a  courier." 

'^  You  wish  see  Genoa — is  it  not?  " 

"  AVell,  yes,"  replied  the  Senator,  "  it  is." 

*'  Then  with  me  you  come  alonga.  I  will  translate 
you  the  city — shoppia,  pallass — w'at  you  like.  Also  I 
am  not  dear  man  neither.  In  the  season  yes.  Then  I 
am  verv  dear.    But  now  is  nobodv." 

"What  does  your  time  cost  to  buy?"  demanded 
poppa. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  107 

"  Very  cheap  price.  Two  francs  one  lionr.  Ten 
francs  one  dav.  But  if  with  voii  1  travel,  make  arran^i- 
mento,  you  und'stan',  look  for  traina — 'otel,  higlk'lloy 
harjagl'ui — then  I  am  so  little  you  laugh.  Two  'undred 
franc  the  month!  "  and  Alessandro  indicated  with  everv 
muscle  of  his  body  the  amazement  he  expected  us  to 
feel. 

The  Senator  turned  to  the  ladies  of  his  family. 
"  Xow  that  1  think  of  it,"  he  said,  "  travels  in  Italy 
are  never  written  without  a  courier.  People  wouldn't 
believe  thev  were  authentic.  And  Brandev  said  if  vou 
really  wanted  to  eniov  yourself  it  was  follv  not  to  en- 
gage  one." 

"  I  suppose  there's  more  choice  in  the  season," 
said  momma,  glancing  disapprovingly  at  Alessandro's 
swarthy  collar.  "  And  I  confess  I  should  have  expected 
them  to  be  garbed  more  picturesquely." 

"  Look  at  his  language,"  I  remarked.  ''  You  can't 
have  everything." 

The  Senator  said  that  was  so.  "  I  believe  you  can 
come  along,  Mr.  Bebbini,"  he  said;  "we're  strangers 
here  and  we'll  get  you  to  help  us  to  enjoy  ourselves  for 
a  month  on  the  terms  you  name..  You  can  begin  right 
away." 

Alessandro  bowed  and  waved  us  to  the  carriage.  It 
was  only  the  ordinary  connnercial  bow  of  Italy,  but  I 
could  see  that  it  made  a  difference  to  momma.  lie  saw 
us  seated  and  was  climbing  on  the  box  when  poppa  in- 

I         terfered.     "  There's  no  use  trying  to  work  it  that  way," 

I  8 


f- 


108  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

he  said;  "  we  can't  ask  you  to  twist  your  head  off  every 
time  you  emit  a  piece  of  information.  Besides,  there's 
no  sense  in  your  riding  on  the  box  when  there's  an  extra 
seat.  You  won't  crowd  us  any,  Mr.  Bebbini,  and  I 
guess  we  can  refrain  from  discussing  family  matters 
for  one  hour." 

So  we  started,  with  Mr.  Bebbini  at  short  range. 

"  I  think,"  said  he,  "  you  lika  first  off  the  'ouse  of 
Cristoforo  Colombo." 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  knew,"  said  poppa,  "  but  you 
are  perfectly  correct.  Cristoforo  was  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  Americans  on  the  roll  of  history,  and  we, 
also,  are  Americans.  At  once,  at  once  to  the  habitation 
of  Cristoforo." 

Alessandro  leaned  forward  impressively. 

"  Who  informa  vou  Cristoforo  Colombo  was  Ameri- 
cano?  Better  you  don't  believe  these  other  guide — 
ignoranta  fella.  Cristoforo  was  Genoa  man,  born  here, 
you  und'stan'?  Italiano.  Only  live  in  America  a  lill' 
w'ile — to  discover,  you  und'stan'  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Bebbini,"  said  poppa,  "  if  you  go  around  con- 
tradicting Americans  on  the  subject  of  Christopher 
Columbus  your  business  will  decrease.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  Christopher  wasn't  born,  he  was  made,  and  America 
made  him.  He  has  every  right  to  claim  to  be  considered 
an  American,  and  it  was  a  little  careless  of  him  not  to 
have  founded  a  family  there.  We  make  excuses  for  him 
— it's  quite  true  he  had  very  little  time  at  his  disposal 
• — but  we  feel  it,  the  whole  nation  of  us,  to  this  day." 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


109 


of 


Tlic  Via  lialbi  was  cheerfully  crooked  and  crowded, 
it  had  the  modern  note  of  the  street  car,  and  the  medi- 
aeval one  of  old  women,  arms  akimbo,  in  the  nooks  and 
recesses,  selling"  big'  black  cherries  and  bursting  figs. 
Even  the  old  women  though,  as  monmia  complained, 
wore  postilion  bascjues  and  bell  skirts,  certainly  in  an 
advanced  stage  of  usefulness,  Imt  of  unmistakable  gene- 
sis— just  what  had  been  popular  in  Chicago  a  year  or  two 
before. 

*'  Ileal ly,  my  love,"  said  momma,  "  I  don't  know 
ivhcit  we  shall  do  for  description  in  Genoa,  the  people 
seem  to  wear  no  clothes  worth  mentioning  whatever." 
We  concluded  that  all  the  city's  cJiaracteristically  Italian 
garments  were  in  the  wash;  they  depended  in  novel  cut 
and  colour  from  everv  window  that  did  not  belong  to 
a  bank  or  a  university;  and  sometimes,  when  the  side 
street  was  narrow  and  the  houses  high,  the  effect  was 
quite  imposing.  Poppa  asked  Alessandro  Bebbini 
whether  they  were  expecting  royalty  or  anything,  or 
whether  it  was  like  this  every  washing  day,  and  we 
gathered  that  there  was  nothing  unusual  about  it. 
]iut  i)oppa'said  I  had  better  mention  it  so  that  people 
might  be  prepared.  Personally,  I  rather  liked  the 
display,  it  gave  such  unexpected  colour  and  incident 
to  those  high-shouldering,  narrow  by-ways  we  looked 
down  into  from  the  upper  level  of  the  Via  Balbi, 
where  only  here  and  there  the  sun  strove  through, 
and  all  the  rest  was  a  rich  toned  mystery;  but 
there    may    be    others    like    momma,    who    prefer    the 


^         ....  ,         ;, 


110  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

clothes  line  of  the  Occident  and  the  ])rivacy  of  the  hack 
yard. 

The  two  sides  of  the  Via  Poverina  almost  touched 
foreheads.  "  Yes,"  said  Alessandro  Bebbini  apolo- 
getically, "  it  is  a  rer'  tight  street.' 

Popjja  was  extremely  pleased  with  the  appearance  of 
the  house  of  Christopher  Columbus,  which  Alessandro 
pointed  out  in  the  Via  Assorotti.  It  w^as  a  comfortable 
looking  edifice,  with  stone  giants  supporting  the  arch 
of  the  doorway,  in  every  respect  suitable  as  the  residence 
of  a  retired  navigator  of  distinction.  Poppa  said  it  was 
very  gratifying  to  find  that  Cristoforo  had  been  able, 
in  his  declining  years,  when  he  was  our  only  European 
representative,  to  keep  his  end  up  with  credit  to 
America. 

You  so  often  found  the  former  abodes  of  glorious 
names  with  a  modern  rental  out  of  all  proportion  with 
their  historic  interest.  This  house,  poppa  calculated, 
would  let  to-day  at  a  figure  discreditable  neither  to  Cris- 
toforo himself,  nor  to  the  United  States  of  America. 
Mr.  Bebbini,  unfortunately,  could  not  tell  him  what 
that  figure  was. 

On  the  steps  of  San  Lorenzo  Cathedral  momma 
paused  and  cast  a  searching  glance  into  all  the  corners. 

"  AVhere  are  the  beggars?  "  she  inquired,  not  with- 
out injury.  "  I  have  always  been  given  to  understand 
that  church  entrances  in  Italy  were  disgracefully 
thronged  with  beggars  of  the  lowest  type.  I  have  never 
seen  a  picture  of  a  sacred  building  without  them!  " 


f 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


Ill 


"  So  that  was  why  you  wanted  so  iiuich  small  change, 
Anp:usta,"  said  the  Senator.  "  Mr.  Behbini  says  tliere's 
a  hiw  ap;ainst  them  nowaihiys.  Xow  that  you  mention 
it,  I'm  disappointed  tlierc  too.  jMunieipal  progress  in 
Italy  is  something  you've  not  prepared  for  somehow. 
I  daresay  if  we  oidy  knew  it,  they're  thinking  of  light- 
ing this  town  with  eleetrieity,  and  the  Board  of  Alder- 
men are  considering  contracts  for  cable  cars." 

'"  Do  not  inquire,  Alexander,"  begged  momma,  but 
the  Senator  had  fallen  behind  with  Mr.  Bebbini  in 
earnest  conversation,  and  we  gathered  that  its  import 
was  entirely  modern. 

It  was  our  first  Italian  church  and  it  was  impressive, 
for  a  President  of  the  French  Republic  had  just  fallen 
to  the  knife  of  an  Italian  assassin,  and  from  the  altar 
to  the  door  San  Lorenzo  was  in  mourning  and  in  pen- 
ance. Classes  for  his  soul's  repose  had  that  day  been 
said  and  sung;  near  the  door  hung  a  re(]uest  for  the 
prayers  of  all  good  Christians  to  this  end.  Many  of  the 
grave-eyed  people  that  came  and  went  were  doubtless 
about  this  business,  but  one,  I  know,  was  there  on  a  pri- 
vate errand.  lie  prayed  at  a  chapel  aside,  kneeling  on 
the  floor  beside  the  railings,  his  cap  in  his  hands,  grasp- 
ing it  just  as  the  peasant  in  The  Angelus  grasps  his.  In- 
side the  altar  hung  a  picture  of  a  pitying  woman,  and 
there  were  candles  and  foolish  flowers  of  tinsel,  but 
beside  these,  many  tokens  of  hearts,  gold  and  silver, 
thick  below  the  altar,  crowding  the  partition  walls. 
The  hearts  were  grateful  ones — Alessandro  explained 


-^ 


112  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

in  an  iindcr-tonc — brouglit  and  loft  by  many  who  had 
been  preserved  from  violent  death  by  the  saint  there, 
and  he  who  knelt  was  a  workman  just  from  hospital, 
who  had  fallen,  with  his  son,  from  a  buildingr.  The  boy 
had  been  killed,  the  father  only  badly  hurt.  Ilis  heart 
token  was  the  last — a  little  common  thing — and  tied 
with  no  rejoieeful  ribbon  but  with  a  scrap  of  crape.  I 
hoped  Heaven  would  see  the  crape  as  well  as  the  tribute. 
When  we  went  away  he  was  still  kneeling  in  his  patched 
blue  cotton  clothes,  and  as  the  saint  had  verv  beautiful 

7  t.' 

kind  eyes,  and  all  the  tinsel  flowers  were  standing  in 
the  glowing  light  of  stained  glass,  and  the  voice  of  the 
Church  had  begun  to  speak  too,  through  the  organ,  I 
daresay  he  went  away  comforted. 

Momma  says  there  is  only  one  thing  she  recollects 
clearly  about  San  Lorenzo,  and  that  is  the  Chapel  of 
St.  John  the  Baptist.  This  does  not  remain  in  her  mem- 
ory because  of  the  Cinquecento  screen  or  the  altar- 
canopy's  porphyry  pillars  which  we  know  we  must  have 
seen  because  the  guide-book  says  they  arc  there,  but 
because  of  the  fact  that  Pope  Innocent  the  Eighth  had 
it  closed  to  our  sex  for  a  long  time,  except  on  one  day 
of  the  year,  on  account  of  Herodias.  Momma  considered 
this  extremely  invidious  of  Innocent  the  Eighth,  and  said 
it  was  a  thing  no  man  except  a  Pope  would  have  thought 
of  doing.  What  annoyed  poppa  was  that  she  seemed 
to  hold  Alessandro  Bebbini  responsible,  and  covered 
him  with  reproaches,  in  the  guise  of  argument,  which 
he  neither  deserved  nor  understood.     And  when  poppa 


¥ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


113 


su£^g08tc(l  that  she  was  probably  as  mnch  to  blame  for 
Ilcrodias's  coiKliK't  as  ^Ir.  Bebbini  was  for  tlie  Pope's, 
she  said  that  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it,  and  she 
thanked  Heaven  she  was  born  a  Protestant  anyway, 
distinctly  implying  that  llerodias  was  a  Roman  Catho- 
lic. And  if  poppa  didn't  wish  her  back  to  give  out  alto- 
gether, would  he  please  return  to  the  carriage. 

We  wandered  through  a  palace  or  two  and  thought 
how  interesting  it  nuist  have  been  to  be  rich  in  the  days 
of  "  Sir  Horatio  Palavasene,  who  robbed  the  Pope  to 
pay  the  (^ueen."  Wealth  had  its  individuality  in  those 
days,  and  expressed  itself  with  truth  and  splendour  in 
sculpture,  and  picture,  and  tapestry,  and  precious  things, 
with  the  picturesqueness  of  contrast  and  homage.  As 
the  Senator  said,  a  banquet  hall  did  not  then  suggest 
a  Fifth  Avenue  hairdresser's  saloon.  But  now  the  Geno- 
ese merchant-princes  would  find  that  their  state  had  lost 
its  identity  in  machine  made  imitations,  and  that  it 
would  be  more  distinguished  to,  be  poor,  since  poverty 
is  never  counterfeited.  But  poppa  declined  to  go  as 
far  aa  that. 

Alessandro,  as  we  drove  round  and  up  the  winding 
roads  that  take  one  to  the  top  of  Genoa — the  hotels  and 
the  palaces  and  the  churches  are  mostly  at  the  bottom — 
was  full  of  joyous  and  rapid  information.  Especially 
did  he  continue  to  be  communicative  on  the  subject  of 
Christopher  Columbus,  and  if  we  are  not  now  assured 
of  the  school  that  discoverer  attended  in  his  youth,  and 
the  altar  rails  before  w^hich  he  took  the  first  communion 


114  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

of  his  early  manhood,  and  tlie  occupation  of  liis  wife's 
parents,  and  many  other  matters  concerning;-  him,  it  is 
tlie  fault  of  history  and  not  that  of  Alessandro  iiehhini. 
After  a  cathedral  and  a  palace  and  a  long  drive,  this 
was  hound  to  have  its  effect,  and  I  very  soon  saw  re- 
sentment in  the  demeanour  of  both  my  i)arentf;.  So 
much  so,  that  when  we  passed  the  family  ^rouj)  in  mem- 
ory of  Mazzini,  and  Alessandro  explained  dramatically 
that  "  the  daughter  he  sitta  down  and  cryo  because  his 
father  is  a-dead,"  poppa  said,  ^'  Is  that  so?  "  without  the 
faintest  show  of  excitement,  and  momma  'declined  even 
to  look  round. 

It  was  not  until  the  evening,  however,  when  we  were 
talking  to  some  Milwaukee  people,  that  we  remembered, 
with  the  assistance  of  Baedeker  and  the  Milwaukee 
people,  a  number  of  facts  about  Columbus  that  deprived 
Alessandro's  information  of  its  commercial  value,  while 
leaving  his  ingenuity,  so  to  speak,  at  par.  The  Senator 
was  so  much  annoyed,  as  he  had  made  a  special  note 
of  the  state  of  preservation  in  which  he  had  found  the 
dwelling  of  our  discoverer,  that  he  had  recourse  to  the 
most  unscrupulous  means  of  relieving  us  of  Alessandro 
— who  was  to  present  himself  next  morning  at  eleven. 
He  wrote  an  impulsive  letter  to  "  A.  Bebbini,  Esq.," 
which  ran: 

"  Sir  :  I  find  that  we  are  too  credulous  a  family  to 
travel  in  safety  with  a  courier.  When  you  arrive  at  the 
hotel  to-morrow,  therefore,  you  will  discover  that  we 


A    VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


115 


liavo  fl('<l  l)y  an  earlier  train.  We  take  it  from  no  per- 
sonal ol)je<'tion  to  your  society,  hut  from  a  rooted  and 
un('on(iueral)le  objection  to  hrass  facts.  I  <'m'lose  your 
month's  salary  and  a  warning-  that  any  attempt  to  follow 
me  will  he  fruitless  and  expensive. 

''  Yonrs  truly, 

''J.  P.  Wick." 


,■,«■ 


n 


The  Senator  assured  mc  afterwards  that  this  was 
absolutely  necessary — that  A.  IJehbini,  if  we  introduced 
him  in  any  quantity,  would  ruin  the  sale  of  our  work, 
and  if  he  accom})anied  us  it  would  be  impossible  to 
keep  him  out.  lie  said  we  ought  to  apologize  for  having 
even  mentioned  him  in  a  book  of  travels  which  we  hope 
to  see  taken  seriously.    And  we  do. 


;  we 


CIIAPTKR   TX. 


Momma  wislios  mo  to  atnto  tliat  tlio  word  Ttalv,  in 
nny  li>n^nap;o,  will  for  ovor  bo  nssociatod  in  lior  mind 
witli  tlio  ionrnrv  from  (Jonoa  to  Pisa.  Wo  liad  our  own 
lunch  basket,  so  no  banofnl  anticipation  of  cutlets  fried 
in  olive  oil  marred  the  perfect  satisfaction  with  which 
we  looked  out  of  the  windows.  One  window,  almost  the 
whole  way,  opened  on  a  low  embankment  which  seemed 
a  pirden  wall.  Olives  and  lemon  trees  grew  beyond  it 
and  droppeil  over,  and  it  was  always  dipping  in  the  sun- 
light to  show  us  the  roses  and  the  shady  walks  of  the 
villas  inside,  white  and  remote;  now  and  then  we  saw 
the  pillared  end  of  a  verandah  or  a  plaster  Neptune 
ruling  a  restricted  fountain  area.  Out  of  the  other  win- 
dow stretched  the  blue  Gulf  of  Genoa  all  becalmed 
and  smiling,  with  freakish  little  points  and  headlines, 
and  here  and  there  the  white  blossom  of  a  sail.  The 
Senator  counted  eighty  tunnels — he  wants  that  fact 
mentioned  too — some  of  them  so  short  that  it  was  like 
shutting  one's  eyes  for  an  instant  on  the  olives  and  the 
sea.  Nevertheless  it  was  an  idyllic  journey,  and  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  saw  the  Leaning  Tower  from 

afar,  describing  the  precise  angle  that  it  does  in  the  illus- 

113 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


117 


,  in 

lind 

own 

iried 

liich 

t  the 

^nied 

nd  it 

snn- 
tlie 
saw 
uiie 
win- 
nied 
incs, 
The 
fact 
like 
[1  the 
four 
from 
illus- 


trntod  poofjrapliies.  "Moninui  was  charmed  to  rccogniso 
it,  slic  l)l('W  it  a  kiss  of  afhilation  and  acclaim,  while  wo 
vet  wound  ahont  anion^  the  environs,  and  hail' d  it 
'*  Piya!  "  It  was  as  if  she  howed  to  a  celebritv,  with 
the  homage  due. 

AVhat  the  Senator  called  our  attention  to  as  we  drove 
to  the  hotel  was  the  consj)icnons  i)art  in  municipal  poli- 
tics ])laved  hv  that  little  old  hrown  river  Arno.  In  most 
jilaces  the  riparian  feature  of  the  landscape  is  not  in- 
sisted on — you  have  usually  to  go  to  the  sid)url)s  to  find 
it,  hut  in  Pisa  it  is  a  sort  of  main  street,  with  the  town 
sitting  comfortably  and  e(]ually  on  each  side  of  it  look- 
ing on.  ^lomnui  and  I  both  liked  the  idea  of  a  river  in 
town  scenery,  and  thought  it  ndght  be  copied  with  ad- 
vantage in  America,  it  afforded  such  a  good  excuse  for 
bridges.  Pisa's  three  arched  stone  ones  made  a  reason 
for  settling  there  in  themselves  in  our  opinion.  The 
Senator,  however,  was  against  it  on  conservancy  grounds, 
and  asked  us  what  we  thought  of  the  population  of 
Pisa.  And  we  had  to  admit  that  for  the  size  of  the 
houses  there  weren't  very  many  people  about.  The 
Lungarno  was  almost  empty  except  for  desolate  cab- 
men, and  they  were  just  as  eager  and  hospitable  to  us 
and  our  trunks  as  they  had  been  in  Genoa. 

In  the  Piazza  del  Dnomo  we  expected  the  Cathedral, 
the  Leaning  Tower,  the  Baptistry,  and  the  Campo 
Santo.  We  did  not  expect  ^Frs.  Portlieris;  at  least, 
neither  of  my  parents  did — I  knew  enough  about  Dicky 
Dod  not  to  be  surprised  at  any  combination  he  might 


^w  ^^  ^'.r^'^t-fvw/^" 


118  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATIOX. 

offect.  There  they  all  were  in  the  middle  of  the  sqnaro 
bit  of  meadow,  apparently  waiting  for  us,  but  really, 
I  have  no  doubt,  getting  an  impression  of  the  alvhi- 
tecture  as  a  whole.  I  could  tell  from  ^Irs.  Portheris's 
attitude  that  she  had  acknowledged  herself  to  be  grati- 
fied. Strange  to  relate,  her  gratification  did  not  dis- 
appear when  she  saw  that  these  medijrval  circumstances 
would  inconsistently  compel  her  to  recognise  very  mod- 
ern American  connections.  She  approached  us  quite 
blandlv,  and  I  saw  at  once  that  Dickv  Dod  had  been 
telling   her   that   poppa's   chances   for   the   Presidency 

'i  were  considered  certain,  that  the  Spanish  Infanta  had 

stayed  with  us  while  she  was  in  Chicago  at  the  Exhibi- 
tion, and  that  we  fed  her  from  gold  plate.  It  was  all 
in  Mrs.  Portheris's  manner. 

"  Another  unexjx'cted  meeting!  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  My  dear  Mrs.  AVick,  yon  are  looking  worn  out!  Try 
my  sal  volatile — I  insist!  "  and  in  the  general  greeting 

,  momma  w-as  seen  to  back  violentlv  awav  from  a  long 

silver  b(  *tle  in  every  direction.  Poppa  had  to  interfere. 
"  If  it  s  all  the  same  to  you.  Aunt  Caroline,"  he  said, 
"  ]\[rs.  Wick  is  quite  as  usual,  though  I  think  the  ^Middle 
Agedness  of  this  country  is  a  little  trying  for  her  at 
this  time  of  year.  She's  just  a  little  upset  this  morning 
by  seeing  the  cook  plucking  a  rooster  down  in  the  back- 
yard before  he'd  killed  it.  The  rooster  was  in  great 
affliction,  you  see,  and  the  way  he  crowed  got  on  mom- 
ma's nerves.  She's  been  telling  us  about  it  ever  since. 
But  we  hope  it  will  pass  off." 


^•f^t\u/u 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


119 


■•f 


!Mrs.  Porthoris  expanded  into  tliat  incvitaMe  British 
storv  of  tlio  oiHcor  wlio  roportoil  of  certain  tribes  tliat 
tliev  had  no  manners  and  their  cnstonis  were  abomina- 
h\v,  and  I,  at  a  nmte  invitation  from  Dicky,  stepped 
aside  to  get  the  angle  of  the  Tower  from  a  better  point 
of  view. 

]\Jr.  l)od  was  de})resscd,  so  much  so  that  he  came  to 
tlie  point  at  o>ice.  "  I  hope  yon  had  a  good  time  in 
Genoa,"  he  said.  "  We  shonkl  have  been  there  now, 
only  I  knew  we  should  never  catch  np  to  you  if  we 
didn't  skip  something.  So  I  heard  of  a  case  of  cholera 
there,  and  didn't  mention  that  it  was  last  year,  (^uite 
enough  for  Her  Ex.      I  say,  tiiougii — it's  no  use." 

"Isn't  itr'  said   I.     "Are  vou  sure^" 

"  Prettv  confounck^dlv  certain.  Tiie  British  lion's 
getting  there,  in  great  shape — the  brute.  All  the 
widow's  arranging.  With  the  widow  it's  '  ]\Ir.  I)od, 
you  will  take  care  of  nie,  won't  you^'  or  'Come  nc,", 
^fr.  Dod,  and  tell  me  all  about  buifalo  shooting  on  your 
native  j^rairies  ' — and  Mr.  Dod  is  a  rattled  jay.  There's 
something  about  the  mandate  of  a  middle-aged  British 
female." 

"I  should  think  there  was!"   T  said. 

"  Then  !Araify,  you  see,  walks  in.  They  don't  seem 
to  have  much  conversation — she  regularly  brightens 
up  when  I  come  along  and  say  something  cheerful — 
but  he's  gradually  making  up  his  mind  that  the  best 
isn't  any  too  good  for  him." 

"  Perhaps  we  don't  begin  so  well  in  America,"  I 


120 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


interrupted  tlioiiglitfully.  "  But  then,  we  don't  develop 
into  Mrs.  P.'s  either." 

l)ieky  seemed  unable  to  follow  my  line  of  thought. 
"  I  must  say," .  he  went  on  resentfully,  '^  I  like — well, 
just  a  smell  of  constancy  about  a  man.  A  fellow  that's 
thrown  over  ought  to  be  in  about  the  same  shape  as  a 
widower.  But  not  much  Maft'y.  I  tried  to  work  up  his 
feelings  over  the  American  g^-l  the  other  night — he  was 
as  calm!  " 

"Dicky,"  said  I,  "there  are  subjects  a  man  must 
keep  sacred.  You  must  not  speak  to  Mr.  Maiferton  of 
his  first — attachment  again.  They  never  do  it  in  Eng- 
land, except  for  purposes  of  fiction." 

"  Well,  I  worked  that  racket  all  I  knew.  I  even 
told  him  that  American  girls  as  often  as  not  changed 
their  minds." 

^^ Richard!  lie  will  think  I — what  ivill  he  think 
of  American  girls!  It  was  excessively  wrong  of  you 
to  sav  that — I  might  almost  call  it  criminal!  " 

Dicky  looked  at  me  in  pained  surprise.  "  Look  here, 
Mamie,"  he  said,  "  a  fellow  in  my  fix,  you  know!  Don't 
get  excited.  How  am  I  going  to  confide  in  you  unless 
you  keep  your  hair  on!  "  ■ 

"  What,  may  I  ask,  did  Mr.  Maffcrton  say  when  you 
told  him  that?  "  I  asked  sternly. 

"  He  said — now  you'll  be  madder  than  ever.  I  won't 
tell  you." 

"  Mr.  Dod — Dicky,  haven't  we  been  friends  from 
infancv!  " 


'  *^n  VHWTJ^  WM<V 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


121 


*'  Played  with  the  same  rattle.  Cut  our  teeth  to- 
gether." 

"  AVell  then " 

*'  Well  then,"  he  said,  "  do  you  mind  putting  your 
parasol  straight^  I  like  to  sec  the  person  I'm  talking 
to,  and  besides  the  sun  is  on  the  other  side.  lie  said  he 
didn't  think  it  was  a  privilege  that  should  be  extended 
to  all  cases." 

"  He  did,  did  he?  "  I  rejoined  calmly.  "  That's  like 
the  British— isn't  it?" 

"  It  would  have  made  such  a  complication  if  I'd 
kicked  him,"  con^     ,ed  Mr.  Dod. 

The  Senator,  momma,  and  Mrs.  Portheris  stood  in 
the  cathedral  door.  Isabel  and  Mr.  Mafferton  occupied 
the  middle  distance.  ^Ir.  ^lalferton  stooped  to  add  a 
poppy  to  a  slender  handful  of  wild  flowers  he  held  out 
to  her.     Isabel  was  looking  back. 

"  It  will  be  pleasant  inside  the  Duomo,"  I  said. 
"  Let  us  go  on.  I  feel  warm.  I  agree  with  you  that 
the  situation  is  serious,  Dicky.  Look  at  those  poppies! 
When  an  Englishman  does  that  you  may  make  up  your 
mind  to  the  worst.  But  I  don't  think  anybody  need 
have  the  slightest  respect  for  the  affections  of  Mr.  Maf- 
ferton." 

Inside  the  Duomo  it  was  pleasant,  and  cool,  and 
there  was  a  dim  religious  light  that  gave  one  an  oppor- 
tunity for  reflection.  I  was  so  much  engaged  in  re- 
flection that  I  failed  to  notice  the  shape  of  the  Duomo, 
but  I  have  since  learned  that  it  was  a  basilica,  in  the 


122  A   VDYAOE   OF  CONSULATIOX. 

form  of  a  Latin  cross,  and  was  simply  full  of  things 
which  should  have  claimed  mv  attention.  Momma  took 
copious  notes  from  which  I  see  that  the  Madonna  and 
Child  holy  water  basin  was  perfectly  sweet,  and  the  epis- 
copal throne  by  Uervellesi  in  153G  was  the  finest  piece 
of  tarsia  work  in  the  world,  and  the  large  bronze  hang- 
ing lamp  by  Vincenzo  Possento  was  the  object  which 
assisted  Galileo  to  invent  the  oscillations  of  the  pendu- 
lum. The  Senator  was  much  taken  with  the  inlaid 
wooden  stalls  in  the  choir,  the  subjects  were  so  lively. 
He  and  his  Aunt  Caroline  nearlv  came  to  words  over  a 
monkey  regarding  its  reflection  in  a  looking  glass,  done 
with  a  realism  which  Mrs.  Portheris  considered  little 
short  of  j)rofane,  but  which  pop})a  found  quite  an  excusa- 
ble filip  to  devotions  which  must  have  been  such  an  all 
day  business  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Outside,  how- 
ever, pojipa  found  it  difficult  to  approve  the  fac^ade.  To 
throw  four  galleries  over  the  street  door,  he  said,  with  no 
visible  means  of  getting  into  them  or  possible  object 
for  sitting  there,  was  about  the  most  ridiculous  waste 
of  building  space  he  had  yet  observed. 

^'  But  then,"  said  Dicky  Dod,  who  kept  his  disconso- 
late place  by  my  side,  "  they  didn't  seem  to  know  how 
to  waste  enough  in  those  pre-elevator  days.  Look  at  the 
pictures  and  the  bronzes  and  the  marble  columns  inside 
there — ten  times  as  much  as  they  had  any  use  for.  They 
just  heaped  it  up." 

"That's  so,  Dicky,  my  boy,"  replied  poppa;  "we 
could  cover  more  ground  with  the  money  in  our  cen- 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


123 


)ject 
'aste 

onso- 
liow 
the 
side 


u 


we 
cen- 


tury. But  you've  got  to  rcmenibor  tliat  they  hadn't 
anv  other  wav  worth  nientioniiiii'  of  spending  tlie  taxes. 
Religion,  so  to  speak,  was  the  boss  contractor's  only 
line." 

Dicky  remarked  that  it  had  to  be  admitted  he 
worked  it  on  the  s(piare,  and  momma  said  that  no  doubt 
people  built  as  well  as  they  knew  how  at  that  time,  but 
nothing  should  induce  her  to  add  her  weight  to  the  top 
of  the  Leaning  Tower. 

"  It  is  very  renuu'kable  and  impressive,"  said  mom- 
ma, "  the  idea  of  its  hanging  over  that  way  all  these 
centuries,  just  on  the  drop  and  never  droj)ping,  but  wdio 
knows  that  it  nuiv  not  come  down  tliis  verv  dav!  " 

"  ^ly  dear  niece,  if  I  may  call  you  so,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Portheris  urbanely,  '"  it  was  thus  that  the  builders 
designed  this  great  monument  to  stand;  in  its  inclina- 
tion lies  the  triumph  of  their  art." 

*'  I  can't  say  1  agree  with  you  there.  Aunt  ( Vu'o- 
line,"  said  poppa;  "  that  tower  was  never  meant  to  stand 
crooked.  It's  a  very  serious  defect,  and  if  it  happened 
nowadays,  it  would  justify  any  ^runicij)al  Board  in  re- 
pudiating the  contract.  Even  those  fellows,  you  see, 
were  too  sick  to  i>o  on  with  it,  in  everv  case.  Beaun 
by  Bonanus  llT-l.  Boiumus  saw  what  was  going  to 
happen  and  gave  it  up  at  the  third  storey.  Then  Bene- 
nato  had  his  show,  got  it  up  to  four,  and  (piit,  1203. 
The  next  architect  was — let  me  see — AVilliam  of  Inns- 
bruck.    He  put  on  a  couple  more,  and  by  that  time  it 

began  to  look  dangerous.     But  nothing  happened  from 
9 


.<^<M  N!<.g«.P«IJ«.HI.I 


124  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

1200  to  1350,  and  it  struck  Tomaso  Pisano  that  nothing 
wonkl  happen.  lie  risked  it  anyhow,  ran  up  another 
storey,  put  the  roof  on,  and  came  in  for  the  credit  of 
the  whole  miracle.  I  expect  Tomaso  is  at  the  bottom 
of  that  idea  of  yours.  Aunt  Caroline.  He  would  natu- 
rally give  the  reporters  that  view." 

Mrs.  Portheris  listened  with  a  tolerance  as  badly 
put  on  as  any  garment  she  was  wearing.  "  I  do  not  usu- 
ally make  assertions,"  she  said  when  ])oppa  had  finished, 
"  without  being  convinced  of  the  facts,"  and  I  became 
aware  for  the  first  time  that  her  upper  lip  wore  a  slight 
moustache. 

"  Well,  you'll  excuse  me,  Aunt  Caroline " 

"  All  my  life  I  have  heard  of  the  Leaning  Tower 
of  Pisa  as  a  feat  of  architecture,"  readied  his  Aunt  Caro- 
line finnly.  "  I  do  not  propose  to  have  that  view  dis- 
turbed now." 

"  Perhaps  it  ivas  so,  my  dear  love,"  put  in  momma 
deprecatingly,  and  Mr.  Dod,  with  a  frenzied  wink  at 
poppa,  called  his  attention  to  the  ridiculous  Pisan  habit 
of  putting  immovable  fringed  carriage-tops  on  cabs. 

"  It  undoubtedly  was,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris,  with 
an  embattled  front. 

"But — Great  Scott,  aunt!  "  exclaimed  poppa,  reck- 
lessly, "  think  what  this  place  was  like — all  marsh, 
with  the  sea  right  alongside;  not  four  miles  oif  as  it 
is  now.  Why,  you  couldn't  base  so  much  as  a  calcula- 
tion on  it!  " 

"  I  must  say,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris  in  severe  sur- 


wj,««wi^««i?l,H7''»^i«wf»»'  Jl,""lw,uiiiWJU»iHJ,lfimnVi 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


125 


priso,  "  I  knew  that  America  bad  made  great  advances 
in  the  world  of  invention,  but  1  did  not  expect  to  find 
wliat  looks  much  like  jealousy  of  the  achievements  of  an 
older  civilisation." 

The  Senator  looked  at  his  aunt,  then  he  put  his  hat 
further  back  on  his  head  and  cleared  his  throat.  I 
l)repared  for  the  worst,  and  the  worst  would  undoubt- 
edlv  have  come  if  Dickv  Dod  had  not  suddenlv  renuMU- 

I,  •  ■ 

bered  having  seen  a  man  with  a  foreign  telegram  look- 
ing for  somebody  in  the  Cathedral. 

'■'  It's  a  feat !  "  reiterated  ^Irs.  Portheris  as  the  Sena- 
tor left  us  in  pursuit  of  the  man  with  the  telegram. 

"  It's  fourteen  feet,"  cried  the  Senator  from  a  safe 
distance,  ''out  of  the  perpendicular!"  and  left  us  to 
take  the  consequences. 


CHAPTER   X. 

When  momma  reported  to  me  ^Irs.  Portlieris's 
proposition  that  we  sliould  make  the  rest  of  our  Conti- 
nental trip  as  one  undivided  party,  I  found  it  difficult 
to  understand. 

"  These  sudden  changes  of  temperature,"  I  re- 
marked, "  are  trying  to  the  constituti(m.  Why  this 
desire  for  the  society  of  three  unahashed  Americanisms 
like  ourselves?  " 

"  That's  just  what  I  wondered,"  said  momma. 
"  For  you  can  see  that  she  is  full  of  insular  prejudice 
against  our  great  country.  She  makes  no  attempt  to  dis- 
guise it." 

"  She  never  did,"  I  assented. 

"  She  said  it  seemed  so  extraordinary — quite  provi- 
dential— meeting  relatives  abroad  in  this  way,"  mom- 
ma continued,  '^  and  she  thought  we  ought  to  follow 
it  up." 

"  Are  we  going  to? "  I  inquired. 

"  My  goodness  gracious  no,  love!     There  are  some 

things  my  nerves  cannot  stand  the  strain  of,  and  one 

of  them  is  your  poppa's  Aunt  Caroline.     The  Senator 

smoothed  it  over.     He  said  he  was  sure  we  were  very 

126 


'S 


"TWlr^^f^'' 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


127 


much  obliged,  ])nt  our  tiiiit*  was  liinitcMl,  and  he  tlioiight 
Ave  eouhl  get  around  faster  alone." 

^'  AVell,"  I  said,  '*  I  do  not  unch'rstand  it,  unh'ss 
Dicky  has  j)ersuaded  her  that  jjoppa  is  to  be  our  next 
anibassa(h)r  to  St.  James's." 

"  She  was  too  silly  about  Dicky,"  said  momma. 
^'  She  said  she  really  was  afraid,  before  you  appeared, 
that  young  ^Ir.  Dod  was  conceiving  an  attachment 
for  her  Isabel,  whose  affections  lay  quite  in  another 
direction;  but  now  her  mind  was  entirely  at  rest.  I 
don't  remend)er  her  words,  she  uses  so  many,  but  she 
was  trying  to  hint  that  poor  Dicky  was  an  admirer  of 
yours,  dearest." 

''  I  fancy  she  succeeded — as  far  as  that  goes,"  I 
remarked. 

"  AVell,  yes,  she  made  me  understand  \wy.  So  I  felt 
ol)liged  to  tell  her  that,  though  Dicky  was  a  lovely 
fellow  and  we  were  all  very  fond  of  him,  anything  of 
that  kind  was  out  of  the  question." 

"And  what,"  I  asked,  'Svas  her  reply  to  that?" 

"  She  seemed  to  think  I  was  prevaricating.  She 
said  she  knew  what  a  mother's  hopes  and  fears  were. 
They  seem  to  take  a  very  low  view,"  added  momma 
austerely,  "  of  friendship  between  a  young  man  and  a 
young  woman  in  England!  " 

"I  should  think  so!"  said  I  absent-mindedly. 
"  Dicky  hasn't  made  love  to  me  for  three  years." 

''What!'' 

"  Nothing,  momma,  dear,"  I  replied  kindly.    "  Only 


v-A 


128  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

I  wouldn't  coiitiadict  ^Frs.  Portlicris  jiiiiiiii  u\)(ni  tliat 
point,  if  I  were  you.  Slio  will  tliiuk  it  so  improper 
if  Dicky  isn''l  my  admiivr,  don't  you  scr^  " 

But  Mrs.  I^ortlieris's  desire  to  join  our  j)arty  stood 
revealed.  Her  constant  ehaperonag'e  of  Dicky  was  get- 
ting a  little  trying,  and  she  wanted  nie  to  rcdieve  her. 
I  felt  so  deeply  for  them  both,  reflecting  u])on  the  situa- 
tion, that  1  experienced  (piite  a  glow  of  virtue  at  the 
thought  of  my  promise  to  Dicky  to  stay  in  Jiome  till  his 
party  arrived.  They  were  going  to  Siena — why,  Mr. 
Dod  could  not  undertake  to  explain — he  had  never 
heard  of  anything  cheerful  in  connection  with  Siena. 

"  My  idea  is,"  said  the  Senator,  ''  that  in  Rome  " — 
we  were  on  our  way  there — "  we'll  find  our  work  cut 
out  for  us.  Think  of  the  objects  of  interest  involved 
from  Romulus  and  Remus  down  to  the  present  Pope!  " 

"  I  should  like  my  salts  before  I  begin,"  said  mom- 
ma, pathetically. 

"  Over  two  thousand  years,"  continued  the  Senator 
impressively,  "  and  every  year  you  may  be  sure  has 
left  its  architectural  imprint." 

''  Does  Baedeker  say  that,  Senator?"  I  asked,  with 
a  certain  severity. 

"  ^o,  the  expression  is  entirely  my  own ;  you  may 
take  it  down  and  use  it  freely.  Two  thousand  vears  of 
remains  is  what  we've  got  before  us  in  Rome,  and 
pretty  well  scattered  too — nothing  like  the  convenience 
of  Pisa.  I  expect  we  shall  have  to  allow  at  least  four 
days  for  it.    That  Piazza  del  Duomo,"  continued  poppa, 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


120 


it 


t- 


tlion^litfully,  "  seoiiia  to  have  been  laid  out  with  a  view 
to  the  American  tourist  of  the  future.  J]ut  1  don't  sup- 
pose that  kind  of  forethou^lit  is  eoninion." 

"  How  ex(piisite  it  was,  that  cluster  of  white  marble 
relics  of  the  past  on  the  bosom  of  dusky  l*isa.  It  re- 
minded me,"  said  momma,  poetically,  "  of  an  old  maid's 
pearls." 

"  I  should  suggest,"  said  the  Senator  to  me,  "  that 
you  make  a  note  of  that.  A  little  sentiment  won't  do 
us  any  harm — just  a  little.  And  they  are  like  an  old 
maid's  pearls  in  connection  with  that  middle-aged,  one- 
horse  little  city.  Or  I  should  sav  a  widow's — IMsa  was 
once  a  bride  of  the  sea.  A  grass  widow's,"  improved 
the  Senator.  "  It's  all  meadow-land  round  there — did 
you  notice  i  " 

"  I  did  not,"  I  said  coldly;  ''  but,  of  course,  if  I'm 
to  call  Pisa  a  grass  widow,  it  will  have  to  be.  Although 
I  warn  you,  poppa,  that  in  case  of  any  critic  being  able 
to  arise  and  indicate  that  it  is  laid  out  in  ovster  beds, 
I  shall  make  it  plain  that  the  responsibility  is  yours." 

AVe  were  speeding  through  Tuscany,  and  the  vine- 
garlanded  trees  in  the  orchards  clasped  hands  and 
danced  along  \\A\\\  us.  The  sky  would  have  told  us  we 
were  in  Italy  if  we  had  come  on  a  magic  carpet  without 
a  compass  or  a  time-table.  Poppa  says  we  are  not, 
under  any  circumstances,  to  mention  it  more  than  once, 
but  that  we  might  as  well  explode  the  fallacy  that  there 
is  anything  like  it  in  America.  There  isn't.  Our  ceru- 
lean is  very  beautifully  blue,  but  in  Italy  one  discovers 


130  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

l)y  contrast  tliat  it  is  an  iiitcllct'tual  liliic,  (illcd  with 
liglit,  lii^li,  i)rovueativ('.  The  sky  that  hondsi  over  Tus- 
eaiiy  is  the  very  soul  of  bhie,  deep,  soft,  intense,  ini- 
ju'iietrable — the  sky  that  one  sees  in  those  little  easual 
bits  of  landscape  behind  the  shoulders  of  pre-Kaphaelite 
Saints  and  .Madoninis;  and  here  and  there  a  lake,  giving 
it  back  with  delight,  and  now  and  then  the  long  slope 
of  a  hill,  with  an  old  yellow-walled  town  creeping  up, 
eastle  crowned,  and  raggedly  trimmed  with  olives;  and 
so  manv  ruins  that  the  Senator,  sununoned  bv  momma 
to  look  at  the  last  in  view,  regarded  it  with  disparage- 
ment, which  he  did  not  attempt  to  conceal.  lie  won- 
dered, he  said,  that  tlie  Italian  Government  wasn't 
ashamed  of  having  such  a  lot  of  them.  They  might  be 
])ictures(pie,  but  they  weren't  creditable;  they  gave  you 
the  impression  that  the  country  was  on  the  down  grade. 
"  You  needn't  call  my  attention  to  any  more  of  them, 
Augusta,"  he  added;  "  bnt  if  yon  see  any  building 
that  looks  like  progress,  now,  anything  that  gives  yon 
the  idea  of  modern  improvements  inside,  I  shouldn't  like 
to  miss  it."  And  he  returned  to  the  thirty-second  page 
of  the  Sunday  New  York  World. 

"  I  sometimes  wish,"  said  momma,  "  that  I  w^ere  not 
the  only  person  in  this  family  with  the  artistic  tempera- 
ment." 

Sometimes  wc  stopped  at  the  little  yellow  town^^,  and 
saw^  quite  closely  their  queer  old  defences  and  belfrys 
and  clock  towers,  and  gnessed  at  the  pomegranates  and 
oleanders  behind  their  high  courtyard  walls.    They  had 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


131 


musical  naiiics,  vvvn  in  the  luoutlis  of  the  ruihvav 
g;uar(is,  wlio  san^"  cvci'v  one  of  tlicni  witii  a  high  note 
and  a  full  octave  on  the  syllable  of  stress — '*  Kosign- 
tnio!  "  "  ('ar///iglial  ''  The  Senator  was  fascinateil  with 
the  spectacle  of  a  railway  guard  who  could  express  liiui- 
8(df  intelligihly,  to  say  nothing  of  the  charm;  he  spoko 
of  intro(lucing  the  system  in  the  ^'nited  States,  but  wo 
tried  it  on  "  New  York,"  "  Washington,"  "  Kansas 
Citv,"  and  it  didn't  seem  the  same. 

It  was  at  Orbatello,  I  think,  that  we  made  the  trav- 
elling ac(iuaintancc  of  the  enterprising  little  gentleman 
to  whom  momma  still  mvsteriouslv  alludes  as  "  il  cani- 
tano."  He  bowed  ceremoniously  as  he  entered  the  car- 
riage  and  stowed  the  inevitable  enormous  valise  in  the 
rfick,  and  his  eve  brightened  intelligentiv  as  he  saw  wc 
svere  a  family  of  American  tourists.  He  wore  a  rather 
seamv  black  uniform  and  a  soft  felt  hat  with  cocks' 

t 

feathers  droopin^^*  over  it,  and  a  sword  and  a  ridiculously 
amiable  expression  for  a  man.  I  don't  think  he  was  f  vc 
feet  high,  but  his  moustache  and  his  feathers  and  his 
sword  were  out  of  all  f)roportion.  'IMiere  was  i>  gentle 
trustful  exuberance  about  him  which  suggested  that, 
although  it  was  jiossibly  twenty-five  years  since  he  was 
born,  his  age  was  much  less  than  that.  Tie  twirled  his 
moustache  in  voluble  silence  for  ten  minutes  while  we  all 
furtively  scrutinised  him  with  the  curiosity  inspired  by 
a  foreigner  of  any  size,  and  then  with  a  smile  of  con- 
scious sweetness  he  asked  the  Senator  if  he  might  take 
the  liberty  to  give  the  trouble  to  see  the  English  news- 


i: 


■►"I •nKmf%'n 'n.nwmiwx'^ '  'nlW *v 


132  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

paper  for  a  few  seconds  only.  "  I  should  be  too  thank- 
ful," he  added. 

^'  AVhy  certainly,"  said  poppa,  much  gratified.  "  I 
see  you  spikkuni  Knglisli,"  he  added  encouragingly. 

"  I  speak — uni,  .si.  I  have  learned  some — a  few  of 
tliem.     ]3ut  O  very  baddili  I  speak  them!  " 

"  I  guess  that's  just  your  modesty,"  said  poppp 
kindly.  "  But  that's  not  an  English  paper,  you  know 
— it's  published  in  New  York." 

"  Ah!  "  he  exclaimed  with  enthusiasm.  "  That  will 
be  much  itnich  the  more  pleasurable  for  me."  His  eyes 
shout  Hh  feeling.  "  In  Italy,"  he  added  with  an  im- 
pidsive  gesture,  ""  we  love  the  American  peoples  beyond 
the  Londonian.  AVe  alwavs  remember  that  it  was  an 
Italian,  Cristoforo  Col " 

^'  I  know,"  said  poppa.  "  Very  nice  of  you.  But 
what's  your  reason  now,  for  preferring  Americans  as 
a  nation?  " 

AVe  saw  our  first  Italian  shrug.  It  is  more  pro- 
longed, more  sentimental  than  French  ones.  In  this  case 
it  expressed  the  direct  responsibility  of  Fate. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  ""  that  they  are  more  simpalica 
— sympatheticated  to  us."  He  seemed  to  be  unaware 
of  me,  but  his  eye  rested  upon  momma  at  this  point, 
and  took  her  into  his  confidence. 

"  We  also,"  said  she  reciprocally,  "  are  always 
charmed  to  see  Italians  in  our  country." 

I  wondered  privately  whether  she  was  thinking  of 
hand  organ  men  or  members  of  the  Mafia  society,  but 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION.  133 

it  was  no  opportunity  to  incpiiro.  ^ly  impression  is  that 
about  this  time,  in  spite  of  Tuscany  outside,  1  went  to 
sleep,  because  my  next  recollection  is  of  the  little  Cap- 
tain pouring  Chianti  out  of  a  larue  black  bottle  into 
momma's  jointed  silver  travelling  cu}).  I  remend)er 
thinking-  when  I  saw  that,  that  they  must  have  made 
progress.  Scraps  of  conversation  floated  through  my 
waking  moments  when  the  train  stopped — I  heard  mom- 
ma ask  him  if  his  parents  were  both  living  and  where 
his  home  was.  I  also  understood  her  to  inquire  whether 
the  Italians  were  domestic  in  their  tastes  or  whether 
they  were  like  the  French,  who,  she  believed,  had  no  Tf 

home  life  at  all.  I  saw  the  Senator  put  a  card  in  his 
pocket-book  and  restore  it  to  his  breast,  and  heard  him 
inquire  whether  his  new  Italian  acipiaintance  wore  his 
uniform  everv  dav  as  a  matter  of  choice  or  because  he 
had  to.  An  hour  went  bv,  and  when  T  finallv  awoke 
it  was  to  see  momma  sitting  by  with  folded  hands  and 
an  expression  of  much  gratification  while  j)oj)pa  gave  a 
graphic  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  American 
baking-powder  interest.  ''  I  don't  expect,"  said  he, 
"  vou've  ever  heard  of  AVick's  Electric  Corn-Hour?  " 

'*  It  is  mv  misfortune." 

"  AVe  sent  thousands  of  cans  to  Southern  Europe 
last  year,  sir.     Or  Wick's  Sublimated  Soda?" 

"  I  am  stupidissimo." 

"  Xo,  not  at  all.  But  I  daresav  vour  momma  knows 
it,  if  she  ever  has  waffles  on  her  breakfast  table.  AV(dl, 
it's  been  a  kind  of  kitchen  revolution.     AVe  began  by 


11 


J. 


134  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATIOX. 

making  a  luindred  pounds  a  week — and  couldn't  always 
get  rid  of  it.  Xow — why  ihc  day  before  I  sailed  we 
sent  six  thousand  cans  to  the  Queen  of  Madagascar.  I 
hope  she'll  read  the  instructions!  " 

"  It  takes  the  breath.  What  splendid  revenue  must 
be  from  that!  " 

The  Senator  merely  smiled,  and  played  with  his 
watch  chain.  "  I  should  hate  to  brag,"  he  said,  but  any- 
one could  see  from  the  absence  of  a  diamond  ring  on  his 
little  linger  that  he  was  a  person  of  weight  in  his  com- 
munity. 

"Oh!"  said  momma,  "my  daughter  is  awake  at 
last !  Mamie,  let  me  introduce  Count  Filgiatti.  Count, 
my  daughter.  What  a  pity  you  went  to  sleep,  love.  The 
Count  has  been  giving  us  such  a  delightful  afternoon." 

The  carriage  swayed  a  good  deal  as  tlie  Count  stood 
up  to  bow,  but  that  had  no  effect  either  upon  the  dignity 
or  the  gratification  he  expressed.  His  pleasure  was  quite 
ingratiating,  or  would  have  been  if  he  had  been  a  little 
taller.  As  it  was,  it  was  amusing,  and  I  recognised 
an  opportunity  for  the  study  of  Italian  character.  I 
don't  mean  that  I  made  uji  my  mind  to  avail  myself  of 
it,  but  I  saw  that  the  opportunity  was  there. 

"  So  you've  been  reading  the  New  Yorh  World,^^ 
I  said  kindly. 

"  I  have  read,  yes,  two  aveiiissimi.  Kot  more,  I 
fear.  But  they  are  also  amusing,  the  avertissimi.^^  His 
voice  was  certainly  agreeably  deferential,  with  a  note  of 
gratitude. 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


135 


"  Xow,  if  you  wouldn't  mind  taking  the  corner  op- 
posite my  daughter,  Count  Filgiatti,"  put  in  poppa, 
"  vou  and  she  could  talk  more  conifortablv,  and  Mrs. 
AVick  could  put  her  feet  up  and  get  a  little  nap." 

"  I  am  too  happy  if  T  shall  not  be  a  trouble  to  Mees," 
the  Count  responded,  beaming.  And  I  said,  "  Dear  me, 
no;  how  could  he^"  at  which  he  very  obligingly  changed 
his  seat. 

I  hardly  know  how  we  drifted  into  abstract  topics. 
The  Count's  English  was  so  bad  that  my  sense  of  humour 
should  have  confined  him  to  the  weather  and  the  scen- 
ery; but  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  about  an  hour  later, 
while  the  landsca])e  turned  itself  into  a  soft,  warm 
chromo  in  the  fading  sunset,  and  both  my  ])arents 
soundly  slept,  we  were  discussing  the  barrier  of  religion 
to  marriage  between  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics. 
I  did  not  hesitate  to  express  the  most  liberal  senti- 
ments. 

"  Since  there  are  to  be  no  marriages  in  heaven,"  I 
said,  "  what  difference  can  it  make,  in  nuirried  life,  how 
people  get  there  ^  " 

"  The  signor  and  signora  think  also  so?  " 

"  Oh,  I  daresay  jmppa  and  momma  have  got  their 
own  opinions,"  I  said,  "  but  that  is  mine." 

"  You  do  not  think  as  thev!  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  I  don't  know  what  they  think,"  I  explained.  "  I 
haven't  asked  them.  But  I've  got  my  own  thinker,  you 
know."  I  searched  for  simple  expressions,  and  I  seemed 
to  make  him  understand. 


i 


I  I 

!     I 


I     1 


136  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

"  So!    Then  this  prejudice  is  dead  fpr  you,  Senorita 

"  I  like  '  Senorita  '  best,"  I  said.  "  I  believe  it 
is."  At  that  moment  I  divined  that  he  was  a  Koman 
Catholic.  How,  I  don't  know.  So  I  added,  ''  But 
I've  never  had  the  slightest  reason  to  give  it  a 
thought." 

"  That  must  be,"  he  said  softlv,  "  because  you  never 
met,  Senorita — may  I.  say  tliis? — one  single  gentleman 
w'at  is  Catholic." 

''  That's  rather  clever  of  you,"  I  said.  "  Perhaps 
that  IS  whv." 

The  Italian  character  struck  me  as  having  interest- 
ing phases,  but  I  did  not  allow  this  impression  to  appear. 
I  looked  indifferently  out  of  the  window.  Italian  sun- 
sets are  very  becoming. 

''  The  signora,  your  mother,  has  told  mo  that  you 
have  no  brothers  or  sisters,  Mees  Wick.  She  made  me 
the  confidence — it  was  most  kind." 

"  There  never  has  been  any  secret  about  it,  Count." 

"  Then  you  have  not  even  one?  "  Count  Filgiatti's 
eyes  were  full  of  melancholy  sympflchy. 

"  I  think,"  I  said  with  coldness,  "  that  in  a  matter 
of  that  kind,  momma's  word  should  hardly  need  cor- 
roboration." 

"Ah,  it  is  sad!  With  me  what  difference!  Can 
you  believe  of  eleven?  And  the  father  with  the  saints! 
And  I  of  course  am  the  eldest  of  all." 

"  Dear  me,"  I  said,  "  what  a  responsibility!  " 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


137 


"  All,  you  recognise !  you  understand  the — the  ne- 
cessities, yes?  " 

At  that  moment  the  train  stopped  at  Civita  Vecchia, 
and  the  Senator  awoke  and  put  his  hat  on.  "  The  Eter- 
nal City,"  he  remarked  when  he  descried  that  the  name 
of  the  station  was  not  Kome,  "  aj)pears  to  have  an  eter- 
nal railway  to  match.  There  seems  to  be  a  feeding 
counter  here  though — we  might  have  another  try  at 
those  slices  of  veal  boiled  in  tomatoes  and  smothered 
with  macaroni  that  they  give  the  pilgrim  stranger  in 
these  parts.  You  may  lead  the  world  in  romance.  Count, 
but  you  don't  put  any  of  it  in  your  railway  refresh- 
ments." 

As  we  passed  out  into  the  smooth-toned  talkative 
darkness,  Count  Filgiatti  said  in  my  ear,  "  Mistra  and 
Madame  Wick  have  kindly  consented  to  receive  my  visit 
at  the  hot  d  to-morrow.  Is  it  agreeable  to  you  also  that 
I  come? " 

And  I  said,  "  Why,  certainly!  " 


I 


CHAPTER  XI. 


i   I 

i   !     1 

I 


I     I 


AVe  descended  next  morning  to  realise  how  original 
we  were  in  being  in  the  plains  of  Italy  in  July.  The 
Fulda  people  and  the  Miss  Binghams  and  Mrs.  Portheris 
had  prevented  our  noticing  it  before,  but  in  the  Hotel 
Mascigni,  Via  del  Tritone,  we  seemed  to  have  arrived 
at  a  point  of  arid  solitude,  which  gave  poppa  a  new  and 
convincing  sense  of  all  he  was  going  through  in  pursuit 
of  Continental  culture.  We  sat  in.  one  corner  of  the 
"  Sala  di  mangiari  "  at  a  small  square  table,  and  in  all 
the  length  and  breadth  and  sumptuousness  of  that  mag- 
nificent apartment — Italian  hotel  dining-rooms  are  al- 
ways florid  and  palatial — there  was  only  one  other  little 
square  table  with  a  cloth  on  it  and  an  appearance  of 
expectancy.  The  rest  were  heaped  with  chairs,  bottom 
side  up,  with  their  legs  in  the  air;  the  chandeliers  were 
tied  up  in  brown  holland,  and  through  a  depressed  and 
exhausted  atmosphere,  suggestive  of  magnificent  occa- 
sions temporarily  in  eclipse,  moved,  with  a  casual  lan- 
guid air,  a  very  tall  waiter  and  a  very  short  one.  At 
mysterious  exits  to  the  rear  occasionally  appeared  the 
form  of  the  chef  exchanging  plates.  It  was  borne  in 
upon  one  that  in  the  season  the  chef  would  be  remanded 

to  the  most  inviolable  seclusion. 

138 


>   ij  mm 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


139 


in 
cd 


"  Do  you  suppose  Pompeii  will  be  any  worse  than 
this?  "  inquired  the  Senator. 

"  Talk  about  Americans  pervading  the  Continent," 
he  continued,  casting  his  eye  over  the  surrounding  deso- 
lation. "  Where  are  they?  I  should  be  glad  to  see  them. 
Great  Scott!  if  it  comes  to  that,  I  should  be  glad  to  see 
a  blooming  Englishman!  " 

It  wasn't  an  answer  to  prayer,  for  there  had  been 
no  opportunity  for  devotion,  but  at  that  moment  the 
door  opened  and  admitted  Mr.,  Mrs.,  and  Miss  Emme- 
line  Malt,  and  Miss  Callis.  The  reunion  was  as  rapt 
as  the  Senator  and  Emmeline  could  make  it,  and  cordial 
in  every  other  respect.  Mr.  ^lalt  explained  that  they 
had  come  straight  through  from  Paris,  as  time  was  be- 
ginning to  press. 

^'  AVe  couldn't  leave  out  Rome,"  he  said,  '"  on  ac- 
count of  ]Mis'  Malt's  mother — she  made  such  a  point  of 
our  seeing  the  prison  of  Saint  Paul.  In  her  last  letter 
she  w^as  looking  forward  very  anxiously  to  our  safe  re- 
turn to  get  an  account  of  it.  She's  a  leader  in  our  ex- 
perience meetings,  and  I  couldn't  somehow  make  up 
my  mind  to  face  her  without  it." 

"  Poppa,"  remarked  Ennueline,  "  is  not  so  foolish 
as  he  looks." 

"  AVe  were  just  wondering,"  exclaimed  momma, 
"  who  that  table  was  laid  for.  But  we  never  thought 
of  yon.    Isn't  it  strange?  " 

AVe  agreed  that  it  was  little  short  of  marvellous. 

The  tall  waiter  strolled  up  for  the  commands  of  the 
10 


r      j 


il 


I ^i/if^r^^^ 


140 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


^falt  i)nrty.  Tlis  dcinoanoiir  sliowcd  tluit  lie  roscntcd 
tlie  Plaits,  who  \v(m*o,  iicvcrthcloss,  innocent  respectable 
people.  As  Eninieline  ordered  ''  cafv  an  hi  it  pour  luus,'' 
he  scowled  and  made  curious  contortions  with  his  lower 
jaw.  ''Anything  else  you  want^"  he  in(iuired,  with 
obvious  annoyance. 

"  Yes,"  said  Miss  Callis.  He  further  expressed  his 
contempt  by  twisting  his  moustache,  and  waited  in  silent 
disdain. 

"  I  want,"  said  ^liss  Callis  sweetly,  leaning  forward 
with  her  chin  artlessly  poised  in  her  hand,  ''  to  know  if 
you  are  paid  to  make  faces  at  the  guests  of  this  hotel." 

There  was  laughter,  above  which  Emmeline's  crow 
rose  loud  and  clear,  and  as  the  waiter  hastened  away, 
suddenly  transformed  into  a  sycophant,  poppa  remarked, 
"  I  see  you've  got  those  hotel  tickets,  too.  Let  me  give 
you  a  little  pointer.  Say  nothing  about  it  until  next  day. 
They  are  like  that  sometimes.  In  being  deprived  of 
the  opportunity  of  swindling  us,  they  feel  that  they've 
been  done  themselves." 

"  Oh,"  said  Mr.  ]\ralt,  "  we  uever  reveal  it  for 
twenty-four  hours.  That  fellow  must  have  smelled  'em 
on  us.  Xow,  how  were  you  proposing  to  spend  the 
day?" 

"  We're  going  to  the  Forum,"  remarked  Emmeline. 
"  Do  come  with  us,  Mr.  Wick.  We  should  love  to  have 
you." 

"  We  mustn't  forget  the  Count,"  said  momma  to 
the  Senator. 


i|: 


"Arc  you  paid  to  ni.iUc  faces?" 


to 


!  '  I 


!   I 


i 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


141 


"What  Counts"  EininolinL'  iiKiuiivtl.  '^  Did  you 
ever,  inoinina!  -Mis'  Wick  knows  a  count.  She's  been 
smarter  tlian  wc  have,  hasn't  she(f  Introduce  him  to  us, 
Mis'  Wick." 

"  Knnneline,"  said  lier  mother  severely,  "  vou  arc 
as  personal  as  ever  you  can  be.  1  don't  know  whatever 
Mis'  Wick  will  think  of  vou." 

"  She's  merely  full  of  intelligent  curiosity,  Mis' 
Malt,"  said  ^Ir.  Malt,  who  seemed  to  be  in  the  last  stage 
of  infatuated  parent.  ''  I  know  you'll  excuse  her,"  ho 
added  to  momma,  who  said  with  rather  frigid  emphasis, 
"  Oh  yes,  we'll  excuse  her."  But  the  liint  was  lost  and 
Emmeline  remained.  Poppa  looked  in  his  memoran- 
dum book  and  found  that  the  Count  was  not  to  arrive 
until  3  p.  M.  There  was,  therefore,  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  accompany  the  Malts  to  the  Forum,  and  it 
was  arranged. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  we  were  rolling  through 
Rome.  As  a  family  we  were  rather  subdued  by  the  idea 
that  it  was  Rome,  there  was  such  immense  significance 
even  in  the  streets  with  tramways,  though  it  was  rather 
an  atmosphere  than  anything  of  definite  detail;  but 
no  such  impression  weighed  upon  the  Malts.  They  took 
Rome  at  its  face  value  and  refused  to  recognise  the  un- 
earned increment  heaped  up  by  the  centuries.  How- 
ever, as  we  were  divided  in  two  carriages,  none  of  us 
had  all  the  Malts. 

It  was  warm  and  dusty,  the  air  had  a  malarious 
taste.     We  drove  first,  I  remember,  to  the  American 


142 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


(lru<^gist's  in  tlic  Piazza  di  Spa<;Tia  for  some  magnosia 
Mrs.  Alalt  wanted  for  Knnncline,  wlio  had  i)ric'kK'  heat. 
Jt  was  annoying  to  liavc  one's  first  Ronian  ini|)ressions 
confused  with  Kniniehne  and  magnesia  a?  I  priekly  heat; 
but  Mrs.  Malt  a|>peared  to  tliink  that  Uonie  attracted 
visitors  cliiefly  hy  means  of  tliat  American  druggist. 
Slie  said  slie  was  perfectly  certain  we  should  find  an 
American  dentist  there,  too,  if  we  only  took  the  time 
to  look  him  up.  I  can't  say  whether  she  took  the  time. 
AVe  didn't. 

It  was  interesting,  the  Piazza  di  Spagna,  because 
that  is  where  everybody  who  has  read  "  Roba  di  Roma  " 
knows  that  the  English  and  Americans  have  lived  ever 
since  the  days  when  dear  old  Mr.  Story  and  the  rest 
used  to  coach  it  from  Civita  Vecchia — in  hotels,  and 
pensions,  and  apartments,  the  people  in  Marion  Craw- 
ford's novels.  We  could  only  decide  that  the  plain, 
severe,  many-storied  houses  with  the  shops  underneath 
had  charms  inside  to  compensate  for  their  outward  lack. 
Not  a  tree  anywhere,  not  a  scrap  of  grass,  only  the  lava 
pavement,  and  the  view  of  the  druggist's  shop  and  the 
tourists' agency  office.  Miss  Callis  said  she  didn't  see  why 
man  should  be  for  ever  bound  up  with  the  vegetable 
creation — it  was  like  living  in  a  perpetual  salad — and 
was  disposed  to  defend  the  Piazza  di  Spagna  at  all  points, 
it  looked  so  nice  and  expensive.  But  Miss  Callis's  tastes 
were  very  distinctly  urban. 

That  druggist's  establishment  was  on  the  Pincian 
Hill!     It  seemed,  on  reflection,  an  outrage.     We  all 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


143 


looked  about  .s,  wlicn  we  diseovered  this,  for  the  other 
six,  and  aiiotlier  of  the  f(»olish  j^eoji^rapliical  ilhisions  of 
the  seliool-rooui  was  sliattered  for  each  of  us.    The  Kouie 

,  of  uiy  iuuiginatiou  was  as  distiuetlv  scveu-hilled  as  a 
quadruped  is  four-lej:,«i'ed,  the  liouie  1  saw  had  no  euii- 
uences  to  speak  of  anywiiere.  iV-rhaps,  as  poppa  sug- 
gested, business  had  moved  away  from  the  iiills  and  wo 
should  tind  them  in  the  suburbs,  but  this  we  were  obliged 
to  leave  unascertained. 

Through  the  warm  empty  streets  we  drove  and 
looked  at  Rome.  It  was  driving  through  time,  through 
history,  through  art,  and  going  l)ackward.  And  through 
the  Christian  religion,  for  we  started  where  tlie  ])illar 

,  of  Pius  IX.,  setting  forth  the  doctrine  of  the  Inunaculate 
Conception,  reaffirmed  a  modern  dogma  of  the  great 
church  across  the  Tiber;  and  we  rattled  on  ])ast  other 
and  earlier  memorials  of  that  church  thick-built  into  the 
Middle  Ages,  and  of  the  Early  Fathers,  and  of  the  very 
Apostles.  All  heaped  and  crowded  and  over-built,  solid 
and  ragged,  decaying  and  defying  decay,  clinging  to  her 
traditions  with  both  hands,  old  Rome  jostled  before  us. 
Presently  uprose  a  great  and  crund)ling  arch  and  a  dif- 
ference, and  as  we  passed  it  the  sound  of  the  life  of  the 
city  died  indistinctly  away  and  a  silence  grew  up,  with 
the  smell  of  the  sun  upon  grasses  and  weeds,  and  we 
stopped  and  looked  down  into  Capsar's  world,  which  lay 
below  us,  empty.  We  gazed  in  silence  for  a  moment, 
and  then  Emmeline  remarked  that  she  could  make  as 
good  a  Forum  with  a  box  of  blocks. 


144  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

"  I  shouldn't  wonder  but  what  you  express  the  senti- 
ments of  all  present,"  said  her  father  admiringly.  "  Now 
is  it  allowable  for  us  to  go  down  there  and  make  our- 
selves at  home  amongst  those  antique  pillars,  or  have 
we  got  to  take  the  show  in  from  here?  " 

"  Xo,  ^lalt,"  said  the  Senator,  helping  the  ladies 
out,  "  I  can't  sav  I  agree  with  vou.  It's  a  dead  citv, 
that's  what  it  is,  and  for  my  part  I've  never  seen  any- 
thing so  impressive." 

"  ]\Ir.  Wick,"  remarked  Miss  Callis,  "  has  not  visited 
Philadelphia." 

"  Well,  for  a  municipal  cemetery,"  returned  ^Ir. 
Malt,  ''  it's  pretty  uncared  for.  If  there  was  any  enter- 
prise in  this  capital  it  would  be  suitably  railed  in  with 
posts  and  chains,  and  a  monument  inscribed  *  Here  lies 
Rome's  former  greatness  "  or  something  like  that.  But 
the  Italians  haven't  got  a  particle  of  go — I've  noticed 
that  all  through." 

W^e  went  down  the  wooden  stair,  a  century  at  a  step, 
and  presently  walked  and  talked,  we  seven  Americans, 
in  that  elder  Rome  that  most  people  know  so  much 
better  than  the  one  with  St.  Peter's  and  the  Corso,  be- 
cause of  the  clinging  nature  of  those  early  impressions 
which  we  construe  for  ourselves  with  painful  reference 
to  lists  of  exceptions.  We  all  felt  that  it  was  a  small 
place  to  have  hsd  so  much  to  say  to  history,  and  were 
obliged  to  remind  ourselves  that  we  weren't  h/oking  at 
the  whole  of  it.  Poppa  acknowledged  that  his  tendency 
to  compare  it  unfavourably,  in  spite  of  the  verdict  of  his- 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


145 


tory,  with  Chicago  was  cheeked  by  a  smell  from  the 
Cloaca  Maxima,  which  proved  that  the  Ancient  Romans 
probably  enjoyed  enteric  and  sewer  gas  ipiite  as  much 
as  we  do,  although  under  names  that  are  to  be  found 
only  in  dictionaries  now.  Mrs.  Malt  said  the  place  sur- 
prised her  in  being  so  yellow — she  had  always  imagined 
pictures  of  it  to  have  been  taken  in  the  sunset,  but  now 
she  saw  that  it  was  perfectly  natural.  Acting  upon  Mr. 
Malt's  advice,  we  did  not  attempt  to  identify  more  than 
the  leading  features,  and  I  remember  distinctly,  in  ccm- 
sequence,  that  the  temple  of  Castor  had  three  columns 
standing  and  the  temple  of  Saturn  had  eight,  while  of 
the  Basilica  Julia  there  was  nothing  at  all  but  the  places 
where  thev  used  to  be.  Mrs.  Malt  said  it  made  her  feel 
quite  idolatrous  to  look  at  them,  and  for  her  part  she 
couldn't  be  sorrv  thev  had  fallen  so  much  into  decay 
— it  was  only  right  and  proper.  This  launched  ^fr. 
and  ]Mrs.  Malt  and  my  parents  upon  a  discussion 
which  threatened  to  become  unwisely  polemic  if 
Emmeline  had  not  briefly  decided  it  in  favour  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

Momma  and  ^Irs.  ^falt  expressed  a  desire  above  all 
things  to  see  the  temple  and  apartments  of  the  Vestal 
Virgins,  which  Miss  Callis  with  some  surprise  begged 
them  on  no  account  to  mention  in  the  presence  of  the 
gentlemen. 

"  There  are  some  things."  remarked  Miss  Callis 
austerely,  "  from  which  no  respectable  married  lady 
would  wish  to  lift  the  veil  of  the  classics." 


1' 


i\ 


146 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


I 
1 1 


^1  omnia  was  inclined  to  argue  tlie  point,  but  ^liss 
Callis  looked  so  shocked  that  she  desisted. 

"Perhaps,  Mrs.  Wick,"  she. said  sarcastically,  "you 
intend  to  go  to  see  the  Baths  of  Caracallus!  " 

To  which  momma  replied  certaiidy  not,  that  was  a 
very  diflFerent  thing.  And  if  T  am  unable  to  describe 
the  Baths  of  Caracallus  in  this  history,  it  is  on  account 
of  ^liss  Callis's  personal  influence  and  the  remarkable 
development  of  her  sense  of  propriety. 

At  momma's  suggestion  we  walked  slowly  all  round 
the  Via  Sacra,  looking  steadily  down  at  its  little  tri- 
angular original  paving-stones,  and  tried  to  imagine  our- 
selves the  shackled  captives  of  Scipio.  If  the  party  had 
not  consisted  so  largely  of  Emmeline  the  effort  might 
have  been  successful.  Fragments  of  exhumed  statuary, 
discoloured  and  featureless,  stood  tijiped  in  rows  along 
the  shorn  foundations  and  inspired  in  ^[r.  ^falt  a  serious 
curiosity. 

"  The  ancients,"  said  ^Ir.  ^Falt  with  conviction, 
"  were  every  l)it  as  smart  as  the  moderns,  meaning  born 
intelligence.  Look  at  that  ear — that  ear  took  talent. 
There  isn't  a  terra-cotta  factorv  in  the  Tnited  States 
that  could  turn  (mt  a  betUi  ear  to-dav.  But  thev  '  idn't 
what  we  call  gumption,  they  ])ut  all  their  capital  into 
one  line  of  business,  and  you  may  be  sure  they  swamped 
the  market.  If  they'd  just  done  a  little  inventing  now, 
instead — worried  out  the  idea  of  steam,  or  gas,  or  elec- 
tricity— why  Borne  might  never  have  fallen  to  this  day." 
And  no  one  interfered  with  Mr.  ^Ealt's  idea  that  the 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


147 


fall  of  Rome  was  a  purely  eoinniercial  disaster.  Doubt- 
less it  was  out  of  regard  for  his  feelings,  but  lie  was 
exactly  the  sort  of  man  to  compel  you  to  prove  your 
assertion. 

We  found  the  boundaries  of  the  first  Forum  of  the 
Republic,  and  poppa,  pacing  it  in  a  soft  felt  hat  and  a 
silk  duster,  offered  a  Senatorial  contrast  to  history.  He 
looked  round  him  with  dignity  and  made  the  gesture 
which  goes  with  his  most  sustained  oratorical  flights. 
"  I  wouldn't  have  backed  up  Cato  in  everything,"  he 
said  thoughtfully.  "  Xo.  There  were  occasions  on 
which  I  should  have  voted  against  the  old  man,  and 
the  little  American  school-boys  of  to-day  would  have 
had  to  decline  '  Mugwumpus '  in  consecpience." 
And  at  the  thought  of  Caiina)  and  Trasimene  the  nine- 
teenth century  Senator  from  Illinois  fiercely  pulled 
his  beard. 

AVe  turned  our  pilgrim  feet  to  where  the  Colosseum 
wheels  against  the  sky  and  gives  up  the  world's  eternal 
supreme  note  of  splendour  and  of  cruelty;  and  along  the 
solitary  dusty  Appian  Way,  as  if  it  were  a  country  lane 
of  the  time  we  know,  came  a  ragged  Roman  urchin  with 
a  basket.  Under  the  triumphal  arch  of  Titus,  where  his 
forefathers  jeered  at  the  Jews  in  manacled  procession, 
we  bargained  with  him  for  his  jnirple  plums.  ITe  had 
the  eves  and  the  smile  of  immemorial  Ttalv  for  his  own, 
and  the  bones  of  Imperial  Rome  in  equal  inheritance, 
which  he  also  wished  to  sell,  by  the  way,  in  jagged  frag 
ments  from  his  trouser  pockets.    And  it  linked  up  those 


:     { 


148 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


early  days  with  that  particular  afternoon  in  a  curiously 
simple  way  to  think  that  from  the  Ciesars  to  King  Hum- 
bert there  has  never  been  a  year  without  just  such 
brown-cheeked,  dark-eyed,  imperfectly  washed  little 
lioman  boys  upon  the  Appian  Way. 


1 


PPI     wii^JP!»i.iF-F' 


149 


■\\ 


i 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"VVe  were  too  late  for  the  hotel  dejeuner,  and  had 
to  order  iv,,  I  remember,  d  la  carte.  That  was  whv  the 
Count  was  kept  waiting.  AVe  were  kept  waiting,  too, 
which  seemed  at  the  moment  of  more  importance,  since 
the  atmosphere  of  the  classics  had  given  us  excellent 
appetites.  Emmeline  decided  upon  ices  and  pet  its  fours 
in  the  Corso  for  her  party,  after  which  they  were  going 
to  let  nothing  interfere  with  their  inspection  of  the 
prison  of  St.  Paul;  but  we  came  back  and  ordered  a 
haricot.  In  the  cavernous  recesses  bevond  the  door 
which  opened  kitchen-ward,  commands  resounded,  and 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  a  boy  walked  casually  through 
the  dining-room  bearing  beans  in  a  basket.     Time  went  ji 

on,  and  the  Senator  was  compelled  to  send  word  that  , 

he  had  not  ordered  the  repast  for  the  following  day. 
The  small  waiter  then  made  a  pretence  of  activity,  and 
brought  vinegar  and  salt,  and  rolls  and  water.  ''  The 
peutates  is  notta-cooks,"  said  he  in  deprecation,  and  we 
were  distressed  to  postpone  the  Count  for  those  peutates.  ,  ^ 

But  what  else  was  possible?  ;    f 

The  dismaying  part  was  that  after  luncheon  had 
enabled  us  to  regard  a  little  thing  like  that  with  equa- 


I 


i 


150  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

niinity,  my  parents  abandoned  it  to  nie.  ^loninia  said 
she  knew  she  was  missing  a  great  deal,  but  she  really 
didn't  feel  equal  to  entertaining  the  Count;  her  back 
had  given  out  completely.  The  Senator  wished  to  at- 
tend to  his  mail.  With  the  assistance  of  his  letters  and 
telegrams  he  was  beginning  to  bear  up  wonderfully,  and, 
as  it  was  just  in,  I  hadn't  the  heart  to  interfere.  "  You 
can  apologise  for  us,  daughter,"  said  poppa,  "  and  say 
something  polite  aboi^t  our  seeing  him  later.  Don't 
let  him  suppose  we've  gone  back  on  him  in  any  way. 
It's  a  thing  uo  young  fellow  in  America  would 
think  of,  but  with  these  foreigners  you  never  can 
tell." 

I  saw  at  once  that  the  Count  was  annoyed.  He  was 
standing  in  the  middle  of  the  salon,  fingering  his  sword- 
hilt  in  a  manner  which  expressed  the  most  absurd  irri- 
tation. So  I  said  inmiediately  that  I  was  awfully  sorry, 
but  it  seemed  so  difficult  to  get  anything  to  eat  in  Rome 
at  that  time  of  year,  that  the  head-waiter  was  really  re- 
sponsible, and  wouldn't  he  sit  down? 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  will  think  of  us,"  I  went 
on  as  we  sliook  hands.  "  How  long  have  you  been 
kind  enough  to  wait,  anyw^ay? " 

"  Since  a  quarter  of  an  hour — only,"  replied  the 
Count,  with  a  difficult  smile,  "  but  now  that  I  see  you 
it  is  forgotten  all." 

"  That's  very  nice  of  you,"  I  said.  "  I  assure  you 
monnna  was  quite  worked  up  about  keeping  you  wait- 
ing.   It's  rather  trying  to  the  American  temperament  to 


ill 


. 


'^^^mmr^^^T^^ 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


151 


l! 


be  obliged  to  order  a  hurried  luncheon  from  the  market- 
gardener." 

"  So!  In  America  vou  have  him  not — the  market 
garden?  You  are  each  his  own  vegetabU\  Yes?  All, 
how  much  better  than  the  j)Oor  Italian!  J>ut  Mistra  and 
Madame  Wick,  they  have  not,  I  hope,  the  indisposi- 
tion?" 

"  Well,  I'm  afraid  they  have,  Count — something 
like  that.  They  said  I  was  to  ask  you  to  excuse  them. 
You  see  they've  been  sight-seeing  the  whole  morning, 
and  that's  something  that  can't  be  done  by  halves  in 
your  city.  The  stranger  has  to  put  his  whole  soul  into 
it,  hasn't  he?" 

"Ah,  the  whole  soul!  It  is  too  fatiguing,"  Count 
Filgiatti  assented.  He  glanced  at  me  uncertainly,  and 
rose.  ''  Kindly  may  I  ask  that  you  give  my  deepest 
afflictions  to  Mistra  and  Madame  Wick  for  their 
health?" 

"Oh,"  I  said,  "if  you  must!  But  I'm  here,  you 
know."  I  put  no  hauteur  into  my  tone,  because  I  saw 
that  it  was  a  misunderstanding. 

He  still  hesitated  and  I  remembered  that  the 
Filgiatti  intelligence  probably  dated  from  the  ^lid- 
dle  Ages,  and  had  undergone  very  little  alteration 
since.  "  You  have  made  such  a  short  visit,"  I  said. 
"  I  must  be  a  very  bad  substitute  for  momma  and 
poppa." 

A  flash  of  comprehension  illuminated  my  visitor's 
countenance.     "  I  pray  that  you  do  not  think  such  a 


h 
II 


n 


If 


.  -'-V 


152  A  VOYAGE^OP  CONSOLATION. 

wronp:  tiling,"  lie  said  impulsively.  "  If  it  is  permitted, 
I  apiin  sit  down." 

*'  Do,"  said  I,  and  lie  did.  Anything  else  would 
have  seemed  ])ei'feetly  unreasonable,  and  yet  for  the 
moment  he  twisted  his  moustache,  apparently  in  the 
most  foolish  embarrassment.  To  put  him  at  his  ease, 
I  told  him  how  lovely  I  thought  the  fountains.  "  That's 
one  of  your  most  ideal  connections  with  ancient  his- 
tory, don't  you  think  i "  I  said.  "  The  fact  that 
those  old  aqueducts  of  yours  have  been  bringing  down 
the  water  to  sparkle  and  ripple  in  Roman  streets  ever 
since." 

"  Idealissimo!  And  the  Trevi  of  Bernini — I  hope 
you  threw  the  soldi,  so  that  you  must  come  back  to 
Kome!" 

*'  We  weren't  quite  sure  which  it  was,"  I  re- 
sponded, "  so  poppa  threw  soldi  into  all  of  them,  to 
make  certain.  Sometimes  he  had  to  make  two  or  three 
shots,"  and  I  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  recollec- 
tion. 

"  Ah,  the  profusion!  " 

"  I  don't  suppose  they  came  to  a  quarter  of  a  dol- 
lar. Count.     It  is  the  cheapest  of  your  amusements." 

The  Count  reflected  for  a  moment. 

"  Then  you  wish  to  return  to  Rome,"  he  said  softly; 
"you  take  interest  here?" 

"  Why  yes,"  I  said,  "  I'm  not  a  barbarian.  I'm  from 
Illinois." 

"  Then  why  do  yoc  go  away?  " 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


153 


"  Our  time  is  so  liniitod." 

"  Ah,  Mecs  AVick,  you  have  all  of  your  life."  The 
Italians  certainly  have  exquisite  voices. 

"  That  is  true,"  I  said  thoughtfully. 

"  Many  young  American  ladies  now  live  always  in 
Italy,"  pursued  Count  Filgiatti. 

"  Is  that  so? "  I  replied  pleasantly.  "  They  are 
domiciled  here  with  their  parents? " 

"  Y — yes.  Sometimes  it  is  like  that.  And  some- 
times " 

*^  Sometimes  they  are  working  in  the  studios.  I 
know.    A  delightful  life  it  must  be." 

The  Count  looked  at  the  carpet.  "  Ah,  signorina, 
you  misunderstand  my  poor  English,"  he  said;  "she 
means  quite  different." 

It  was  not  coquetry  which  induced  me  to  cast  down 
my  eyes. 

"  The  American  young  lady  will  sometimes  contract 
alliance." 

"Oh!"  I  exclaimed. 

"  Yes.  And  if  it  is  a  good  arrangimento  it  is  always 
quite  quite  happy." 

"  We  are  said,"  I  observed  thoughtfully,  "  to  be 
able,  as  a  people,  to  accommodate  ourselves  to  circum- 
stances." 

"  You  approve  this  idea !  Signorina,  you  are  so 
amiable,  it  is  heavenlv." 

.    "  I  see  no  objection  to  it,"  I  said.     "  It  is  entirely 
a  matter  of  taste." 


1! 


154 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


"  And  tlio  Ainoricaii  ladies  have  mueli  taste,"  ob- 
served Count  Filgiatti  blandly. 

"  I'm  afraid  it  isn't  infallible,"  I  said,  "  but  it  is 
charming  to  hear  it  approved." 

*'  The  Ameriean  ladv  comes  in  Italv.  She  is  voung, 
beautiful,  with  a  grace — ah!  And  perhaps  there  is  a 
little  income — a  few  dollar — but  we  do  not  speak  of 
that — it  is  a  trifle,  only  to  make  possible  the  arrangi- 
mento." 

^'  I  see,"  I  said. 

"  The  American  lady  is  so  perceiving — it  is  also  a 
charm.  The  Italian  gentleman  has  a  dignity  of  his.  lie 
is  perhaps  from  a  family  a  little  old.  It  is  nothing — the 
matter  is  of  the  heart — but  it  makes  possible  the  ar- 
rangimento." 

''  I  have  read  of  such  things  before,"  I  said,  "  in  the 
newspapers.  It  is  most  amusing  to  hear  them  cor- 
roborated on  the  spot.  But  that  is  one  of  the  charms  of 
travel.  Count  Filgiatti." 

The  Count  hesitated  and  a  shade  of  indecision 
crossed  his  swarthy  little  features.  Then  he  added  sim- 
ply, "  For  me  she  has  always  been  a  vision,  that  Ameri- 
can lady.  It  is  for  this  that  I  study  the  English.  I 
have  thought,  '  AVhen  I  meet  one  of  those  so  charming 
Americans,  I  will  do  my  possible.'  " 

I  could  not  help  thinking  of  that  family  of  eleven 
and  the  father  with  the  saints.  It  was  pathetic  to  feel 
one's  self  a  realised  vision  without  any  capacity  for 
beneficence — worse  in  some  respects  than  being  obliged 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


155 


!!ii 


to  bo  unkind  to  liopos  with  no  financial  basis.  It  made 
one  feel  somehow  so  niercenarv.  Hut  before  1  ('oul<l 
think  of  anvtliiuf!;  to  say — it  was  such  a  ditHcuU  junc- 
ture— the  Count  went  on. 

"  I^ut  in  the  Italian  idea  it  is  better  first  one  thing 
to  know — the  agreement  of  the  American  sign<trina.  Jf 
she  will  not,  the  Italian  nobleuum  is  too  mueh  disgrace. 
It  is  not  good  to  ofl'er  the  name  and  the  title  if  the  la<ly 
say  no,  1  do  not  want — take  that  poor  thing  away." 

How  artless  it  was!  Vet  mv  sympathy  ebbed  im- 
mediately.  Xot  my  curiosity,  howeyer.  Perhaps  at 
this  or  an  earlier  point  I  should  haye  gone  blushing 
away  and  foreyer  pondered  in  secret  the  ))roblem  of 
Count  Filgiatti's  intentions.  I  confess  that  it  didn't 
cyen  occur  to  me — it  was  such  a  little  Count  and  so  far 
beyond  the  range  of  my  emotions.  Instead,  I  smiled 
in  a  non-connnittal  way  and  said  that  Count  Filgiatti's 
prudenee  was  most  unique. 

"  With  a  friend  to  previously  discover  then  it  is 
easy.  But  perhaps  the  lady  will  have  no  friends  in 
Italy." 

"  You  would  haye  to  be  prepared  for  that,"  I  said. 
"  Certainly." 

"  Also  she  perhaps  rpiickly  go  away.  The  Ameri- 
cans are  so  instantaneous.  Maybe  mv  vision  fade  like 
— like  anything." 

"  In  a  perspective  of  tourists'  coupons,"  I  suggested. 

For  a  moment  there  was  silence,  through  which  we 

could  hear  the  scrubbing-brush  of  the  chambermaid  on 
11 


166 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


tlio  inarhlc  liall  of  the  first  floor.    It  seemed  a  final  note 
of  desolation. 

"  If  1  must  speak  of  myself  bolieve  nie  it  is  not  a 
nobody  the  Count  Filgiatti,"  he  went  on  at  last.  *'  Two 
Cardinals  I  have  had  in  mv  familv  and  one  is  second 
cousin  to  the  Pope." 

*'  Fancy  the  Pope's  having  relations!  "  I  said,  *'  but 
I  suppose  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  it." 

"  Nothing  at  all.  In  my  family  I  have  had  many 
ambassadors,  but  that  was  a  little  formcrlv.  Once  a 
Filgiatti  married  with  a  Medici — but  these  things  are 
better  for  Mistra  and  Madame  Wick  to  incpiire." 

*'  Poppa  is  very  much  interested  in  antiquities,  but 
I'm  afraid  there  will  hardly  be  time,  Count  Filgiatti." 

"  Listen,  I  will  say  all!  Always  they  have  been 
much  too  large,  the  families  Filgiatti.  So  now  perhaps 
we  are  a  little  reduce.  But  there  is  still  somethings — 
ah — signorina,  can  you  pardon  that  I  speak  these  things, 
but  the  time  is  so  small — there  is  fifteen  hundred  lire 
yearly  revenue  to  my  pocket." 

"  About  three  hundred  dollars,"  I  observed  sympa- 
thetically. Count  Filgiatti  nodded  with  the  smile  of  a 
conscious  capitalist.  "  Then  of  course,"  I  said,  "  you 
won't  marry  for  money."  I'm  afraid  this  was  a  little 
unkind,  but  I  was  quite  sure  the  Count  would  perceive 
no  irony,  and  said  it  for  my  own  amusement. 

^^ Jamais!  In  Italy  you  will  find  that  never!  The 
Italian  gives  always  the  heart  before — before— 

"  The  arrangimento,"  I  suggested  softly. 


» 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


157 


*'  Indeed,  ves.  'J'here  is  also  the  seat  of  the 
familv." 

''  The  seat  of  the  iainilv,"  I  repeated.  "  Oh — 
the  familv  seat.  Of  eonrse,  heiii^'  a  Count,  you 
have  a  castle.  They  always  go  together.  I  luid  for- 
gotten." 

"  A  eastle  I  eannot  sav,  hut  for  the  eountrv  it  is  verv 
well.  It  is  not  amusing  there,  in  Tuseany.  It  is  a  little 
out  of  repairs.  Twice  a  year  I  go  to  see  my  mother 
and  all  those  brothers  and  sisters — it  is  enough!  And 
the  Countess,  my  mother,  has  said  to  me  tw<»  hundred 
times,  '  Marrv  with  an  Americaine,  Xicco — it  is  mv  com- 
mand.'  '  Xicco,'  she  calls  me — it  is  what  you  call  jack- 
name." 

The  Count  smiled  deprecatingly,  and  looked  at  me 
with  a  great  deal  of  sentiment,  twisting  his  moustache. 
Another  pause  ensued.  It's  all  very  well  to  say  I  should 
have  dismissed  him  long  before  this,  but  I  should  like 
to  know  on  what  grounds? 

"  I  wish  verv  much  to  write  mv  mother  that  I  have 
found  the  American  lady  for  a  new  Countess  Filgiatti," 
he  said  at  last  with  emotion. 

"  Well,"  I  said  awkwardly,  ''  I  hope  you  will  find 
her." 

"  Ah,  Mees  Wick,"  exclaimed  the  Count  recklessly, 
"  you  are  that  American  lady.  AVhen  T  saw  you  in  the 
railway  I  said,  '  It  is  my  vision  1  '  At  once  I  desired  to 
embrace  the  papa.  And  he  was  not  cold  with  me — 
he  told  me  of  the  soda.     I  had  courage,  I  had  hope. 


;i 


I 


^^nniKi  II.I  II  «■!  ipyiJi*  *'^m^^^mmffi»^f^  .III   Hill     i^awp  p.ii 


15S 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


I 


At  first  wlion  I  sc^  voii  to-dav  I  am  a  little  deranffe. 
In  the  Italian  way  1  speak  first  with  the  papa.  Then 
came  a  little  thought  in  my  heart — no,  it  is  propitious! 
In  America  the  daughter  maka  always  her  own  arrangi- 
menro.     So  1  am  spoken." 

At  this  1  rose  luimediatelv.  I  would  not  have  it 
on  mv  eonseience  that  I  toved  with  the  matrimonial 
proj)osition  of  even  an  Italian  (,'ount. 

"  I  think  1  understand  you,  Count  Filgiatti,"  I  said 
— There  is  something  about  the  most  insignificant  pro- 
posal that  makes  one  blush  in  a  })erfe('tly  absurd  way. 
I  have  never  been  able  to  get  over  it — '*  and  I  fear  I 
must  bring  this  interview  to  a  close.     I " 

"  Ah,  *t  is  too  end)arrassing  for  you!  It  is  experi- 
ence very  new,  very  strange." 

"  No,"  I  said,  regaining  my  composure,  "  not  at  all. 
But  the  fact  is,  (  ount  Filgiatti,  the  transaction  you  pro- 
pose doesn't  appeal  to  me.  It  is  too  business-like  to  be 
sentimental,  and  too  sentimental  to  be  business-like. 
I'm  sorrv  to  seem  disobliainti-,  but  I  rrallv  couldn't 
make  up  my  mind  to  marrv  a  gentleman  for  his  ances- 
tors who  are  der  even  if  he  was  willing  to  marry  me 
for  my  income  which  may  disaj^pear.  Poppa  is  very 
speculative.  But  I  know  there's  a  certain  percentage 
of  Americans  who  think  a  count  with  a  familv  seat  is 

« 

about  the  only  thing  worth  bringing  away  from  Europe, 
now  that  we  manufacture  so  much  for  ourselves,  and  if 
I  meet  any  of  them  I'll  bear  vou  in  mind." 
*'Upon  my  word! " 


ill  1 


M 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

It  was  ;Mrs.   Portlicris,  in  the  doorway  bcliiiid 
just  arrived  from  Siena. 


159 


us. 


I  mentioned  tlie  matter  to  my  parents,  thinking?  it 
might  amuse  them,  and  it  did.  From  a  business  point 
of  view,  however,  poppa  could  not  help  feeling  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  synipathy  for  the  C\)unt.  "  1  hope, 
daughter,"  he  said,  "  you  didn't  give  him  the  ha-ha  to 
his  face."  • 


I  , 


i    ^ 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


I     A 


I:     • 


TiiFKE  is  the  very  tendcniess  of  desolation  upon  the 
Appinii  Way.  To  inc  it  sugjicsted  notliiii^-  of  the  splen- 
dour of  liouijiu  villas  and  tiie  tra,ii('<ly  <»f  llyiug-  Kni- 
perors.  It  s[)oke  only  of  its(df,  ly'ni^  over  the  wide 
silenee  of  thv  noon-day  liidds,  historic  (h)uhtk'ss,  but 
noon-(hiy  certainly.  Sonictiiinj;'  lives  upon  the  warm 
stretches  of  the  Appian  Way,  sonu'thin^-  that  talks  of 
the  eternal  and  unciiani»('al»K',  and  yet  lias  the  pathos 
of  the  frajiincntary  and  tiie  lost.  I\'rhaj)s  it  is  the  ahost 
of  a  jicnius  that  has  failed  of  reincarnation,  and  inspires 
the  weeds  and  the  leaf-shadows  instead.  Thinkinj^  of 
it,  one  reniendiers  only  an  almond  tree  in  flower,  that 
grew  beside  a  ruined  arch  by  the  wayside — both  quite 
alone  in  the  sunliglit — and  perhajis  of  a  meek,  young, 
marble  Cecilia,  untiuestioningly  pr(»strate,  submissive 
to  the  axe. 

We  were  on  our  way  to  the  Cata<'oml)s,  monnna,  the 
Senator,  and  Mrs.  Portheris  in  one  carriage,  K.  Dod,  ^Ir. 
^lafferton,  Isalud,  and  I  in  the  other.  T  approved  of 
the  arrangement,  because  the  mutually  distant  under- 
standing that  existed  between  ^Ir.   ^rafTert<»n  and  me 

Jiad  alreadv  l)een  the  subject  of  remark  bv  mv  parents. 

100 


1! 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


101 


("  For  (»1<1  London  acquaintanoos  you  and  Mr.  ^lafTcr- 
ton  seem  to  liave  vcrv  little  to  sav  to  each  other/'  mom- 
ma  had  observed  that  very  morninj^.)  It  was  borne  in 
ui)on  me  that  this  was  absurd.  People  have  no  business 
to  be  estranged  for  life  because  one  of  them  has  hap- 
pened to  propose  to  the  other,  unless,  of  course,  he  has 
been  accepted  and  afterwards  divorced,  which  is  quite 
a  different  thing,  l^esides,  there  was  Dicky  to  think 
of.  I  decided  that  there  was  a  medium  in  all  things, 
and  to  help  me  to  find  it  I  wore  a  blouse  from  Madame 
Valerie  in  the  Hue  de  TOpera,  which  cost  seven  times 
its  value,  and  was  naturally  becoming.  Perhaps  this 
was  going  to  extreme  measures;  but  he  was  a  recalcitrant 
Knglishman,  and  for  Dicky's  sake  one  had  to  think  of 
everything. 

Knglislimen  have  a  genius  for  h)oking  uncomfort- 
able. Their  feelings  are  terribly  mixed  up  with  their 
])ersonal  apju'arance.  It  was  s<>me  time  before  ^Ir. 
]\lafferton  would  consent  to  be  even  tolera!)ly  at  his  ease, 
though  I  made  a  distinct  effort  to  show  that  1  bore  no 
malice.  It  must  have  be«'n  the  mere  memory  of  the  past 
that  end)arrassed  him,  for  tlie  other  two  were  as  com- 
])letely  unaware  of  his  existence  as  they  well  could  be 
in  the  same  carrijig*'.  Kor  a  time,  as  I  talked  in  com- 
monplaces, Mr.  MatTerton  in  monosyllables,  and  ^fr. 
Dod  and  ^liss  Portheria  in  regards,  the  most  sordid  real- 
ist would  have  hesitated  to  chronicle  our  conversation. 

"  When,"  T  inquired  casually,  "  arc  you  thinking 
of  going  back,  ^Er.  MafTerton?  " 


t    >: 


ft 


1C2 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


I'} 
s 


1  . 


"To  town?     Not  before  Oeto])er,  I  fanev!  " 
"  Even  in  Konie,"  1  observed,  "  London  is  '  town  * 
to  you,  isn't  it^     What  a  curious  thing  insular  tradition 


isl" 


"  I  suppose  Rome  was  invented  first,"  lie  replied 
haughtily. 

"  Why  yes,"  I  said;  ''  while  the  ancestors  of  Eaton- 
square  were  running  about  in  blue  i)aint  and  bear-skins, 
and  Albert  CI  ate,  in  the  directory,  was  a  mere  cave. 
What  do  you  suijjwse,"  1  went  on,  following  up  this  line 
of  thought,  "  when  you  were  untutored  savages,  was 
your  substitute  for  the  Ked  Book^  " 

"  Keally,"  said  this  Englishman,  "  I  haven't  an  idea. 
Perhaps  as  you  have  suggested  they  had  no  addn'sses.^^ 

For  a  moment  I  felt  (piite  de[)ressed.  "  Did  you 
think  it  was  a  conundrum^"  I  asked.  "You  so  often 
remind  me  of  Punchy  Mr.  Alafferton." 

I  slKKildn't  have  liked  anyone  to  say  that  to  me, 
but  it  seemed  to  have  (piite  a  mollifying  etl'ect  upon  Mr. 
Matferton.  lie  smiled  and  pulled  his  moustache  in  the 
way  Kriiilishmen  always  do,  when  endeavouring  to  ab- 
sorb a  compliment. 

"  Dear  old  London,"  I  went  on  reminiscently,  "  what 
a  funny  experience  it  was!  " 

"  To  the  Transatlantic  mind,"  responded  ^Ir.  Maf- 
ferton  stiffly,  *'  one  can  imagine  it  instructive." 

"  It  was  a  revelation  to  mine,"  I  said  earnestly — • 
"  a  revelation."  Then,  remembering  ^Ir.  ^Fafferton's 
somewhat    painfnl    connection    with    the    revelation,    I 


1. 1 


!  .1  I  f.    \\ 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


103 


added  carefully,  ''  From  a  historic  point* of  view.     TIk; 
Tower,  you  know,  and  all  that." 

.    "  Ah !  "  said  ^Ir.  Matierton,  with  a  distant  eye  upon 
the  Campagna. 

It  was  really  verv  difficult. 

"  Do  vou  remember  the  day  we  went  to  Madame 
Tussaud's^  "  1  asked.  Perha})s  my  intonation  was  a 
little  dreamy.  "  1  shall  never  forget  William  the  Con- 
queror— never." 

"  Yes — ves,  1  think  I  do."  It  was  clearly  an  effort 
of  memory. 

''  And  now,"  I  said  regretfully,  "  it  can  never  he  the 
same  again." 

"Certainly  not."  He  used  (juite  unnecessary  em- 
phasis. 

"  William  and  the  others  having  been  since  de- 
stroved  bv  tire,"  I  continued.  ^Ir.  Mafferton  looked 
foolish.  "  What  a  terrible  scene  that  must  have 
been!  Didn't  vou  feel  when  all  that  roval  wax  melted 
as  if  the  dynasties  of  Kngland  had  been  wrecked 
over  again!  What  effect  ditl  it  have  on  dear  old  Vic- 
toria T' 

"  One  (juestion  at  a  time,"  said  Mr.  .Matferton,  and 
I  think  he  smiled. 

"  Xow  you  remind  me  of  Sandford  and  '*'.  .ton,"  T 
said,  "and  a  place  for  everything  and  eve.^  ..ing  in  its 
place.  And  punctuality  is  the  thief  of  time.  And  many 
others." 

"You  haven't  got  n  quite  right,"  said  Mr.  Maffer- 


ir,4 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


ton  witli  incipiont  animation.  "  ^Iny  I  correct  you? 
*  Procrastination,'  not  '  punctuality.'  " 

"  Tlianks,"  1  said.  1  could  not  help  observing  that 
for  quite  five  minutes  Mr.  Mafferton  had  made  no  elfort 
to  overhear  the  conversation  between  !Mr.  Dod  and  Miss 
Portheris.  It  was  a  trifle,  but  life  is  made  up  of  little 
things. 

"  I  don't  believe  we  adorn  our  conversation  with 
proverbs  in  America  as  much  as  we  did,"  I  continued. 
"  1  guess  it  takes  too  long.  If  you  make  use  of  a  prov- 
erb you  see,  you've  got  to  allow  for  reflection  flrst, 
and  reflection  afterwards,  and  a  sigh,  and  very  few 
of  us  have  time  for  that.     It  is  one  of  our  disadvan- 


tages. 


>) 


Mr.  Maffcrton  heard  me  with  attention. 

"  Keally!  "  he  said  in  quite  his  old  manner  when  we 
used  to  discuss  Prcsidentiiil  elections  and  peanuts  and 
other  features  of  life  in  my  republic.  "  That  is  a  fact 
of  some  interest — but  T  see  you  cling  to  one  little  Ameri- 
canism, Miss  Wick.  Do  vou  remend)er  " — he  actuallv 
looked  arch — ^  once  assuring  me  that  you  intended  to 
abandon  the  verb  to  '  guess  '^  " 

"  T  don't  know  why  we  should  leave  all  the  good 
words  to  Shakespeare,"  T  said,  ''  but  I  was  under  a  great 
many  hallucinations  about  the  American  language  in 
England,  and  I  daresay  I  did." 

If  I  responded  coldly,  it  was  at  the  thought  of  my 
last  interview  with  poor  dear  Arthur,  and  his  misju'ised 
larynx.    But  at  this  moment  a  wildly  encouraging  sign 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


165 


from  Dicky  roiiiiiuled  iiio  that  his  interests  and  not  my 
own  emotions  were  to  be  considered. 

'^  We  nmstn't  reproach  each  other,  must  we,"  I 
said  softly.  "/  don't  bear  a  particle  of  malice — really 
and  trulv." 

Mr.  Mafferton  cast  a  glance  of  alarm  at  Mr.  Dod 
and  Miss  Portheris,  who  were  raptly  exchanging  views 
as  to  the  respective  merits  of  a  cleek  and  a  brassey  shot 
given  cert^iin  peculiar  bunkers  and  a  sandy  green — as  if 
two  infatuated  people  talking  golf  would  have  ears  for 
anything  else! 

"  Xot  on  any  account,"  he  said  hurriedlv. 

"  The  best  quality  of  friendship  sometimes  arises 
out  of  the  most  unfortunate  circumstances,"  I  added. 
The  sympathy  in  my  voice  was  for  Dicky  and  Isabel. 

Mr.  Malferton  looked  at  me  expressively  and  the 
carriage  drew  up  at  the  Catacombs  of  St.  Callistus.  Mrs. 
Portheris  was  awaiting  us  by  the  gate,  however,  so  in 
getting  out  I  gave  uiy  hand  to  Dicky. 

Inside  and  outside  the  gate,  how  (piiet  it  was.  Noth- 
ing on  the  Appian  Way  but  dust  and  sunlight,  nothing 
in  the  field  within  the  walls  but  yellowing  grass  and  here 
and  there  a  field-daisy  bending  in  the  silence.  It  made 
one  think  of  an  old  faded  water-colour,  washed  in  with 
tears,  that  clings  to  its  significance  though  all  its  reality 
is  gone.  Then  we  saw  a  little  bare  house  to  the  left  with 
an  open  door,  and  inside  found  Brothers  Demetrius 
and  Eusebius  in  Trappist  gowns  and  ropes,  who  would 
sell  us  beads  for  the  profitable  employment  of  our  souls, 


■T^^w^B^ 


ICO 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


' 


and  clioc'olato  and  pliotographs,  and  wonderful  encal_v[>- 
tus  li([U('ur  from  the  Three  Fountains,  and  when  we  had 
well  bought  would  show  us  the  city  of  the  long,  long 
dead  of  which  they  were  custodians.  They  were  both 
obliging  enough  to  speak  English,  Brother  Demetrius 
imperfectly  and  haltingly,  and  without  the  assistance 
of  those  four  front  teeth  whi<.*h  are  so  especially  neces- 
sary to  a  foreign  tongue,  Brother  Eusebius  fluently,  and 
with  such  richness  of  dialect  that  we  were  not  at  all  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  he  had  served  his  Pope  for  some 
years  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

"  For  de  ladi  de  chocolate.  Ith  it  not?  "  said  Brother 
Demetrius,  with  an  inducive  smile.  "  It  ith  de  betht 
in  de  worl',  dis  chocolate." 

"  Don't  you  believe  him,"  said  Brother  Eusebius, 
"  he's  known  as  the  oldest  of  the  Roman  frauds.  AVants 
your  money,  that's  what  he  wants."  Brother  Demetrius 
shook  his  fist  in  amicable,  wagging  protest.  "  That's 
the  way  he  goes  on,  you  know — quarrelsome  old  party. 
But  I  don't  say  it's  bad  chocolate.  Try  it,  young  lady, 
try  it." 

He  handed  a  bit  to  Isabel,  who  looked  at  her 
momma. 

"  There  is  no  possible  objection,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs. 
Porthoris,  and  she  nibbled  it. 

Dicky  invested  wildly. 

"  Dese  photograff  dey  are  very  pritty,"  remarked 
Brother  Demetrius  to  momma,  who  was  turning  over 
some  St.  Stephens  and  St.  Cecilias. 


J  ! 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


167 


"  He'd  say  anytliing  to  sell  tlioiii,"  put  in  Brother 
Eiisebius.  "  Jle  never  tliinks  of  his  immortal  soul,  any 
more  than  if  he  was  a  poor  miserahle  heretic.  Jle'll 
tell  you  they're  originals  next, taken  hy  Xero  at  the  time. 
You're  all  good  Catholics,  of  coursed  " 

"  We  are  not  any  kind  of  Catholics,"  said  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  severely. 

"  I'll  give  you  my  blessing  all  the  same,  and  no 
extra  charge.  But  the  saints  forbid  that  I  should  be 
selling  beads  made  out  of  their  precious  bones  to  Protes- 
tants." 

"  I'll  take  that  string,"  said  momma. 

"  I  wouldn't  do  it  on  an;^  account,"  continued  Broth- 
er Eusebius,  as  he  wrapped  them  up  in  blue  paper,  but 
momma  still  attaches  a  certain  amount  of  veneration  to 
those  beads. 

"And  what  can  I  do  for  vou,  sir^"  continued 
Brother  Eusebius  to  the  Senator,  rubbing  his  hands. 
"What'll  be  the  next  thing?" 

"  The  Early  Christians,"  replied  poppa  laconically, 
**  if  it's  all  the  same  to  you." 

"  Just  in  half  a  shake.  Don't  hurry  yourselves. 
They'll  keep,  you  know — they've  kept  a  good  long 
while  already.  Xow  vou,  madam,"  said  Brother  Euse- 
bins  to  Mrs.  Portheris,  "  have  never  had  the  influenza, 
I  know.    It  only  attacks  people  advanced  in  life." 

"  Indeed  I  have,"  replied  that  lady.     "  Twice." 

"  Is  that  so!  Well,  you  never  would  have  had  it  if 
you'd  been  protected  with  this  liqueur  of  ours.     It's 


I  li 


1G8 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


(loath  and  burial  on  influenza,"  and  Brother  Eusebius 
shook  the  l)ottle. 

"  I  conHider,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris  solemnly,  "  that 
eucalyptus  in  another  form  saved  my  life.  But  I  in- 
haled it." 

"  Tho,"  ventured  Brother  Demetrius,  "  tho  did  I. 
But  the  wine  ith  for  internal  drinking." 

"  Listen  to  him!  ii'ternal  drinking,  that's  what  he 
means.  You  never  saw  such  an  old  boy  for  the  influ- 
enza— gets  it  every  week  or  so.  How  many  bottles, 
madam?  Just  a  nip,  after  dinner,  and  you  don't  know 
how  poetic  it  will  make  you  feel  into  the  bargain." 

"  One  bottle,"  replied  Mrs.  Portheris,  "  the  larger 
size,  please.  Anything  with  eucalyptus  in  it  must  be 
salutary.  And  as  we  are  going  underground,  where 
it  is   bound   to   be   damp,   I   think   I'll   have   a   little 


now. 


>) 


"  That's  what  I  call  English  common-sense,"  ex- 
claimed Brother  Eusebius,  getting  out  a  glass.  "  Will 
nobody  keep  the  lady  company?  It's  Popish,  but  it's 
good." 

Xobodv  would.  Momma  observed  rather  uncau- 
tiously  that  the  smell  of  it  was  enough,  at  which  Mrs. 
Portheris  remarked,  with  some  asperity,  that  she  hoped 
Mrs.  Wick  would  never  be  obliged  to  be  indebted  to  the 
"  smell."  "  It  is  quite  excellent,"  she  said,  "  most  cor- 
dial. I  really  think,  as  a  precaution,  I'll  take  another 
glass." 

"  Isn't  it  pretty  strong? "  asked  poppa. 


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We  followed  the  monks. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


169 


"  The  influenza  is  stronger,"  replied  !Mrs.  Portheris 
oracularly,  and  finished  her  second  potation. 

"  And  nothing,"  said  Brother  Eusebius  sadly,  ''  for 
the  gentleman  standing  outside  the  door,  who  doesn't 
approve  of  encouraging  the  Roman  Catludic  Church  in 
any  respect  whatever.  Dear  me!  dear  niel  we  do  get 
some  queer  customers."  At  which  ^Ir.  ^rafferton 
frowned  portentously.  But  nothing  seemed  to  have  any 
effect  on  Brother  Eusebius. 

"  There  are  such  a  lot  of  vou,  and  vou  are  sure  to  be 
so  inquisitive,  that  we'll  both  go  with  you,"  said  he, 
and  took  candles  from  a  shelf.  Xot  ordinarv  candles 
at  all — coils  of  long,  slender  strips,  with  one  end  turned 
up  to  burn.  At  the  sight  of  them  momma  shuddered 
and  said  she  hadn't  thought  it  would  be  dark,  and  took 
the  Senator's  arm  as  a  precautionai'y  measure.  Then 
we  followed  the  monks  Eusebius  and  Demetrius,  who 
wrapped  shawls  round  their  sloping  shoulders  and  hur- 
ried across  the  grass  towards  the  little  brick  entrance  to 
the  Catacombs,  shading  their  candles  from  the  wind  that 
twisted  their  brown  gowns  round  their  legs,  with  all  the 
anxiety  to  get  it  over  show^n  by  janitors  of  buildings  of 
this  world. 


i! 


111 


:i 


I 


I 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

At  first  throiigli  the  square  chambers  of  the  early 
Popes  and  the  narrow  passages  lined  with  empty  cells, 
nearest  to  the  world  outside,  we  kept  together,  and  it 
was  mainly  Eusebius  who  discoursed  of  the  building 
of  the  Catacombs,  which  he  informed  us  had  a  pagan 
beginning. 

"  But  our  blessed  early  bishops  said,  '  Why  should 
the  devil  have  all  the  accommodations? '  and  when  once 
the  Church  got  its  foot  in  there  wasn't  much  room  for 
him.  But  a  few  pagans  there  are  here  to  this  day  in 
better  company  than  they  ever  kept  above  ground,"  re- 
marked Brother  Eusebius. 

"  Can  you  tell  them  apart?  "  asked  Mr.  Dod,  "  the 
Christians  and  the  Pagans?  " 

^'  Yes,"  replied  that  holy  man,  "  by  the  measure- 
ments of  the  jaw-bone.  The  Christians,  you  see,  were 
always  lecturing  the  other  fellows,  so  their  jaw-bones 
grew  to  an  awful  size.  Some  of  'em  are  simply  parlia- 
mentarv." 

"  Dat,"  said  Brother  Demetrius  anxiously — as  no- 
body had  laughed — "  ith  a  joke." 

"  I  noticed  the  intention,"  said  poppa.     "  It's  down 

170 


A   VOYAGE  OF  C'OXSOLATION. 


171s 


ire- 

les 
lia- 

10- 

ivn 


in  tlic  i»iiide-book  that  voir  ve  been  *  absolved  from  the 
vow  of  sileiico  ' — is  that  t'orroct^  " 

"  Kii>ht  vou  are,"  said  Brother  Eiisebius.  ^'  AVhat 
about  it  (  " 

"  Oh,  iiotliiiig — only  it  explains  a  good  deal.  1  guess 
vou  eniov  it,  don't  vou  ^  " 

liut  Brother  Eusebius  was  bending  over  a  cell  in  bet- 
ter preservation  tlian  most  of  them,  and  was  illuminat- 
ing with  his  candle  the  bones  of  the  dweller  in  it.  The 
light  lliekered  on  the  skull  of  the  Early  Christian  and 
the  tonsure  of  the  modern  one  and  made  comparisons. 
It  also  cut  the  darkness  into  solid  blocks,  and  showed 
us  broken  bits  of  marble,  faint  siains  of  old  frescoes, 
strange  rough  letters,  and  where  it  wavered  furthest 
the  uncertain  lines  of  a  graven  cross. 

''  Here's  one  of  the  original  inhabitants,"  remarked 
Eusebius.  "  lie's  been  here  all  the  time.  I  hope  the 
ladies  don't  mind  looking  at  him  in  his  bones?  " 

"  Thee,  you  can  pick  him  up,"  said  old  Demetrius, 
handing  a  thigh-bone  to  momma,  who  shrank  from  the 
privilege.     "  It  ith  quite  dry." 

"  It  seems  such  a  liberty,"  she  said,  "  and  he  looks 
so  incomplete  without  it.     Do  put  it  back." 

"  That's  the  way  I  feel,"  remarked  Dicky,  "  but  I 
don't  believe  he'd  mind  our  looking  at  a  toe-bone.  Are 
his  toe-bones  all  there?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Demetrius,  "  I  have  count  another 

dav  and  he  ith  nine  onlv.     Here  ith  a  few.'* 

^'  It  is  certainly  a  very  solemn  and  unusual  privi- 
12 


■»»i^«"P^"i"^  T' 


172 


A   VOYAGE   OF  (,'ONSOLATIOX. 


lege,"  remarked  Mr.  Alaiferton,  as  tlie  toe-bones  went 
rotmd,  "  to  toneli  the  mortal  remnant  of  an  Karly 
Christian." 

"  That  altogether  depends,"  said  tlie  Senator,  ''  npon 
what  sort  of  an  Early  Christian  he  was.  Maybe  he  was 
a  saint  of  the  first  water,  and  maybe  he  was  a  pilhir  of 
the  ehnreh  that  ran  a  buikling  society.  Or,  maybe,  lie 
was  only  an  average  sort  of  Early  Christian  like  yon  or 
me,  in  whieli  ease  he  nmst  be  verv  nncomfortable  at  the 
idea  of  inspiring  so  mneh  respect.  How  arc  yon  going 
to  telir' 

''  The  gentleman  is  right,"  said  Brother  Ensebins, 
and  in  considering  po])pa's  theory  in  its  ndation  to  the 
donbtfnl  character  before  them  nobody  noticed,  except 
me,  the  petty  larceny,  by  Kichard  I)od,  of  one  Early 
Christian  toe-bone.  His  expression,  I  am  glad  to  say, 
made  me  think  he  had  never  stolen  anything  before; 
bnt  yon  conldn't  imagine  a  more  promising  beginning 
for  a  career  of  end)ezzlement.  As  we  moved  on  I  men- 
tioned to  him  that  the  man  who  wonld  steal  the  toe- 
bone  of  an  Earlv  Christian,  wlio  had  only  nine,  was 
capable  of  most  crimes,  at  which  lie  assnred  me  that  he 
hadn't  sncli  a  thing  about  him  ontside  of  his  })oots, 
which  shows  how  one  wrong  step  leads  to  another. 

We  fell  presently  into  two  parties — Dicky,  Mrs.  Po^- 
theris,  and  I  holding  to  the  skirts  of  Brother  Demetrius. 
Brother  Demetrius  knew  a  great  deal  about  tlie  Latin 
inscriptions  and  the  history  of  Pope  Damasus  and  the 
chapel  of  the  Bishops,  and  how  tliey  found  the  body  of 


A    VOYAGE  OF   CONSOLATION. 


173 


he 
ts, 


IS. 

lin 
he 
of 


St.  (Vn-ilia,  after  (M^ht  hiUKh'cd  years,  fresh  and  perfect, 
and  (h'essed  in  ricli  vestments  emhroifh'red  in  ii'old;  but 
liis  wav  of  inipartiim'  it  seriously  interfered  with  the 
vahie  of  his  information,  and  we  lo(»ke(l  reiiretfullv 
after  the  other  party. 

''  Here  we  liave  de  tomb  of  Anterus  and  Fabi- 
aniKs " 

"  1  tliink  wc  should  keep  up  with  tlie  rest,"  inter- 
rupted !Mrs.  Portlieris. 

"  Oh,  I  too,  I  know  all  dese  Catacond) — T  will  take 
von  evervwheres — and  here,  too,  we  have  buried  Kn- 
tyehianus." 

^'  AVliere  is  Brother  Eusebius  taking  the  others?  " 
asked  Diekv. 

^'  Xow  I  tell  yon:  he  niith  all  de  valuable  ting,  he  is 
too  fat  and  lazy;  only  joke,  jok(\  joke.  And  here  wc 
has  buried  Epis — martyr.     E])is  he  wath  marlijvy 

The  others,  with  their  lights  and  voices,  came  into 
full  view^  where  four  passages  met  in  a  eubicde.  '"  Oh," 
cried  Isabel,  catching  sight  of  us,  "  do  come  and  see 
Jonah  and  the  whale.     It's  too  funny  for  anything." 

"  And  \vhere  Damathnth  found  here  the  many  good 

thai  nth  he " 

We  would  like  to  see  Jonah,"  entreated  Dicky. 
Well,"  said  Brother  Demetrius  crossly,  "  you  go 
thee  him — you  catch  up.  I  will  no  more.  You  do  not 
like  my  Englis'  very  well.  You  go  with  fat  old  joke- 
fellow,  and  I  return  the  houth.  Bethide,  it  ith  the 
day  of  my  lumbago."     And  the  venerable  Demetrius, 


174 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


witli  distinct  tciiii)cr,  turned  liis  back  on  us  and  wad- 
dled off. 

We  looked  at  each  other  in  consternation. 

"  I'm  afraid  we've  hurt  his  feelings,"  said  Dicky. 

"  You  must  go  after  him,  Mr.  Dod,  and  apologize," 
commanded  Mrs.  Portheris. 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  knows  the  way  out?"  I  asked. 

"  It  is  a  shame,"  said  Dicky.  "  I'll  go  and  tell  him 
we'd  rather  have  him  than  Jonah  any  day." 

Brother  Demetrius  was  just  turning  a  corner.  Dark- 
ness encompassed  him,  lying  thick  between  lis.  lie 
looked,  in  the  light  of  his  candle,  like  something  of 
Rembrandt's  suspended  for  a  moment  before  us.  Dicky 
started  after  him,  and,  presently,  Mrs.  Portlieris  and  I 
were  regarding  each  other  with  more  friendliness  than 
I  would  have  believed  possible  across  our  flaring  dips  in 
the  silence  of  the  Catacombs. 

"Poor  old  gentleman,"  I  said;  "I  hope  Mr.  Dod 
will  overtake  him." 

"  So  do  I,  indeed,"  said  ^[rs.  Portheris.  "  I  fear  we 
have  been  very  inconsiderate.  But  young  people  are 
always  so  impatient,"  she  added,  and  put  the  blame 
where  it  belonged. 

I  did  not  retaliate  with  so  much  as  a  reproachful 
glance.  Even  as  a  censor  Mrs.  Portheris  was  so  emi- 
nently companionable  at  the  moment.  But  as  we 
waited  for  Dicky's  return  neither  of  us  spoke  again.  It 
made  too  much  noise.  MiixUtes  passed,  I  don't  know 
how  many,  but  enough  for  us  to  look  cautiously  round 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


175 


J) 


)od 

we 
are 
line 

ifiil 

ismi- 

we 

It 

lOW 

md 


to  see  if  there  was  anvthinp;  to  sit  on.  There  wasn't,  so 
Mrs.  Portheris  took  my  arm.  We  were  not  })e()j)le  to 
lean  on  each  otlier  in  the  ordinary  vicissitu(h's  of  life, 
and  even  nnder  the  eireumstanees  1  was  aware  that 
Mrs.  Portheris  was  a  great  deal  to  support,  hut  there 
was  comfort  in  everv  ])oun(l  of  her.  At  last  a  faint 
light  foreshadowed  itself  in  the  direction  of  Dicky's  dis- 
appearance, and  grew  stroiiger,  and  was  resolved  into 
a  candle  and  a  young  num,  and  ^fr.  Dod,  very  much 
paler  than  when  he  left,  was  with  us  again.  Mrs.  Por- 
theris and  I  started  apart  as  if  scientitically  impelled, 
and  exclaimed  simultaneously,  "  Where  is  ]3rother  De- 
metrius? " 

*'  Nowhere  in  this  graveyard,"  said  Dicky.  "  lie's 
well  upstairs  by  this  time.  Must  have  taken  a  short 
cut.     I  lost  sight  of  him  in  about  two  seconds." 

"  That  was  very  careless  of  vou,  Mr.  Dod  "  said  ^Irs. 
Portheris,  "  ver}-  careless  indeed.  Xow  we  have  no 
option,  I  suppose,  but  to  rejoin  the  others;  and  where 
are  they  ? " 

They  were  certainly  not  where  they  had  been.  Xot 
a  trace  nor  an  echo — not  a  trace  nor  an  echo — of  any- 
thing,  only  parallelograms  of  darkness  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  our  little  circle  of  light  flickering  on  the  tond)s 
of  Anterus,  and  Fabianus,  and  Entychianus,  and  Epis 
— martyr — and  we  three  within  it,  looking  at  each 
other. 

"  If  you  don't  mind,"  said  Dicky,  "  I  would  rather 
not  go  after  them.    I  think  it's  a  waste  of  time.    Per- 


17G 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


soTiallv  T  mil  (luitc  contented  to  liavo  rejoined  yon.     At 
one  time  I  tlionglit  1  slioiildirt  l)e  able  to,  and  the  idea 


was  trviiig'. 


'> 


"  AVe  wouldn't  (Jrrnm  of  letting  you  go  again,"  said 
]\rr.s.  Portheris  and  I  siniultaneouslv.  ''  Ijut,''  eontin- 
lied  Mrs.  ]\)rtlieris,  "  we  will  all  go  in  search  of  the 
others.  They  can't  be  verv  far  awav.  There  is  notli- 
ing  so  alarming  as  standing  still." 

AVe  jH'oceeded  along  the  passage  in  the  direction  of 
our  last  glimpse  of  our  friends  and  relatives,  jiassing  a 
number  of  most  interesting  inscriptions,  which  we  felt 
we  had  not  time  to  pause  and  decij)her,  and  came  ])res- 
cntly  to  a  divergence  which  none  of  us  could  remember. 
Half  of  the  passage  went  down  three  steps,  and  turned 
oif  to  the  left  under  an  arch,  and  the  other  half  climbed 
two,  and  immediately  lost  itself  in  blackness  of  dark- 
ness. In  our  hesitation  Dicky  suddenly  stooped  to  a 
trace  of  pink  in  the  stone  leading  upward,  and  i)icked 
it  uj) — three  rose  petals. 

"  That  settles  it,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Isa— "Miss  Por- 
theris was  wearing  a  rose.     I  gave  it  to  her  nn-self." 

"  Did  von,  indeed,"  said  Isabel's  mamma  coldly. 
"  ]\Iy  dear  child,  how  anxious  she  will  be!  " 

"  Oh,  I  should  think  not,"  I  said  hopefully.  "  I  am 
sure  she  can  trust  Mr.  Dod  to  take  care  of  himself — and 
of  us,  too,  for  the  matter  of  that." 

"Mr.  Dod!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Portheris  with  in- 
dignation. "  My  poor  child's  anxiety  will  be  for  her 
mother." 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


177 


Iv. 


m- 

lier 


An<l  we  let  it  ii'n  iit  tliat.  liUt  Dickv  ])iit  tlic  rose 
petals  in  liis  pocket  with  the  toe-hone,  and  ho|u>t'ulIy 
reniarkcil  tliat  there  wonM  l)e  no  difHeultv  ahout  find- 

« 

ing  lier  n(»\v.  I  nientl(»ned  tliat  1  had  j)arents  also,  at 
tliat  moment,  lost  in  the  Cataeomhs,  hut  he  did  not 
aj)olo^i/.e. 

'IMie  midniiiht  of  the  ])laeo,  as  we  walked  on,  seemed 
to  deepen,  and  its  silence  to  grow  more  ])rofound.  The 
tond)s  ))assed  ns  in  solemn  grey  ranges,  one  al)ov(>  the 
other — the  long  tomhs  of  the  growii-np  people,  and  the 
shorter  <,)nes  of  tlie  children,  and  the  verv  little  ones  of 
the  hahies.  The  air  held  a  concentrated  dolor  of  fu- 
nerals sixteen  centuries  old,  and  the  four  dim  stone  walls 
seemed  to  have  crept  closer  together.  ''  T  think  [  will 
take  your  arm,  ^Ir.  I)(jd,"  said  Mrs.  l^^rtheris,  and  "'  I 
think  I  will  take  your  other  arm,  Mr,  J)o(l,"  said  \. 

"  Thank  you,-'  rei)lied  Dicky,  "  J  should  he  glad  of 
both  of  yours,"  whieh  may  look  and)iguous  now,  but 
we  quite  understood  it  at  the  time.  It  made  rather 
uncomfortable  walking  in  jdaces,  but  against  that  over- 
Avhebning  maioritv  of  the  dead  it  was  comforting  to 
feel  ourselves  a  living  unit.  We  stund)led  on,  taking 
only  the  most  obvious  turnings,  and  presently  the  pas- 
sage widened  into  another  little  sfpiare  chamber.  ''  More 
bishops!  "  groaned  Dicky,  holding  np  his  candle. 

"  Perhaps,"  I  replied  triumphantly,  "  but  eTonah, 
anyway,"  and  I  pointed  him  out  on  the  wall,  in  two 
shades  of  brown,  a  good  deal  faded,  being  precipitated 
into  the  jaws  of  a  green  whale  with  paws  and  horns  and 


178 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


a  sniilc,  tilso  a  c'.irlcd  bodv  juid  a  tlirco-forkcd  tail.  Tlio 
Avickcd  (1(>(m1  liad  (wo  a('t'oiii[)li('t's  only,  who  had  appar- 
I'Ully  !Sto[)p('d  rowing-  to  (h)  it.  I'lKhTiicath  was  a  coiii- 
panioii  skcti'h  of  the  restitution  of  Jonah,  in  perfect 
order,  by  the  wliale,  whieh  had,  nevertiieless,  ji,rown 
('onsideral)lv  stouter  in  the  interval,  while  an  amiable 
stran<;'er  reelined  in  an  arbor,  with  his  hand  under  his 
liead,  and  looked  on. 

''  As  a  eliild  your  intellii;enec  ])ronused  well,''  said 
Dieky;  "  that  is  Jonah,  though  not  of  the  Revised  Ver- 
sion. I  don't  think  l>ibk'  stories  ought  to  be  illustrated, 
do  you,  ^Irs.  Portheris^     It  has  sueh  a  bad  effect  on  the 


>» 


imagination 

"  We  can  talk  of  that  at  another  time,  Mr.  Dod.  At 
present  I  wish  to  be  restored  to  my  daughter.  Let  us 
push  on  at  once.  And  please  expiain  how  it  is  that  we 
have  had  to  walk  so  far  to  get  to  this  place,  which  was 
onlv  a  few  vards  from  where  we  were  standing  when 
Brother  Demetrius  left  us!  "  ^Irs.  Portheris's  words 
were  commanding,  but  her  tone  was  the  tone  of  suppli- 
cation. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  can't,"  said  Dicky,  "  but  for  that  very 
reason  I  think  we  had  better  stay  where  we  are.  They 
are  pretty  sure  to  look  for  ns  here." 

"  I  cannot  possibly  wait  to  be  looked  for.  I  must  be 
restored  to  my  daughter!  You  must  make  an  effort, 
Mr.  Dod.  And,  now  that  I  think  of  it,  I  have  left  the 
key  of  our  boxes  in  the  drawer  of  the  dressing-table, 
and  the  key  of  that  is  in  it,  and  the  housemaid  has  the 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


179 


fry 
ey 

be 
rt, 

Ihe 
lie, 

he 


kov  of  tlio  room.  It  is  absolutclv  iieces.sarv  tliat  I 
sliould  p)  back  to  tho  hotel  at  oiicc/' 

"  Mv  dear  ladv,"  said  Dickv,  "don't  von  rcalizo 
that  we  arc  lost  (  " 

''Lost!     Inipossildc!     Shout,  Mr.  Dod!'' 

Dickv  shontcd,  and  all  the  Karlv  ( 'hristians  answered 
him.  'Jdierc  arc  said  to  be  seven  nuUions.  ^Irs.  Por- 
theris  gras])ed  his  arm  convnlsively. 

"  Don't  do  that  again,"  she  said,  "  on  any  account. 
Let  US  go  on !  " 

"  ^hich  bett(M'  not,"  ]H'oteste(l   Dickv. 

"On!  on!  "  coniman(h'd  Mrs.  Portheris.  There  was 
no  alternative.  We  i)nt  Dicky  in  the  middle  again, 
and  cantionsly  stepped  ont.  A  njund  of  bine  ])aper 
under  our  chaperone's  arm  caught  the  eye  of  ^Ir.  Dod. 
**^  What  luck!"  he  exfdaimed,  ''you  have  brouglit  the 
li(|ueur  with  you,  ^frs.  Portheris.  T  think  we'd  better 
fill  have  some,  if  you  don't  mind.  I've  been  in  warmer 
cemeteries." 

As  she  undid  the  bottle,  ^frs.  Portheris  detdared  that 
she  alreadv  felt  the  i)r(dinnnarv  a(die  of  influenza.  She 
exhorted  us  to  copious  draughts,  but  it  was  much  too 
nasty  for  more  than  a  sip,  though  warming  to  a  de- 
gree. 

"  Better  take  ver}'  little  at  a  time,"  Dicky  suggested, 
but  Mrs.  Portheris  reaffirmed  her  faith  in  the  virtues  of 
eucalyptus,  and  with  such  majesty  as  was  compatible 
with  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  drank  deeply.  Then  we 
stumbled  on.    Presently  Mrs.  Portheris  yawned  widely 


180 


A    V()YA(ii':   OV  (CONSOLATION 


twice,  lliricc,  and  n^aiii.  "  I  Ix,'^  your  pardon,"  said 
hIic,  ''  I  don't  sccni  al)ic  lo  Im'I|)  it." 

"  It's  the  ('xain|)l('  of  these  j;a|)in^  seimlclires," 
Dicky  replieil.     "  Don't  aj)olo<;i/.e." 

Tlie  passages  grew  narntwei'  and  more  <M(nij)lex,  tlie 
tond)s  more  irregular.  We  came  to  one  that  j)artly 
hhM'ked  tiie  j)ath,  tilted  against  the  main  wall  lik(!  a 
se|)ai'ate  sarc()j)liagiis,  tlioiigh  it  was  really  part  of  the 
s(»li<l  rock.  liooklng  hack,  a  wall  seem(Ml  to  liav(!  risen 
heliind  ns;  it  was  a  distinctly  perplexing  moment,  liard 
nj)on  the  nerves,  'i'he  tond)  was  emj)ty,  exce])t  for  a 
few  hones  that  nnglit  have  been  anything  huddled  at 
the  hottom,  and  Mrs.  Portheris  sat  down  on  the  lower 
end  of  it.  "  I  really  do  not  feel  ahle  to  go  Jiny  further," 
slie  said;   "the  ascent  is  so  perjiendicular." 

I  was  going  to  protest  that  the  j)lac(!  was  as  level 
as  a  street,  hut  Dicky  forestalled  me.  "  I']ucalyptns," 
lie  said  soothingly,  "  often  has  that  eifect." 

"  We  are  lost,"  continued  Mrs.  Portheris  lugubri- 
ously, "in  the  ( 'atac()ml)s.  We  may  as  well  make  up 
our  minds  to  it.  We  came  here  this  morning  at  ten 
o'clock,  and  I  should  tliiids,  I  should  thiidv — tliisli  iiius' 
be  minniglit  on  tlui  following  day." 

"  My  watch  lias  run  down,"  said  Dicky,  "  but  you 
are  ])robably  (piite  "iglit,  Mrs.  Portlieris." 

"  It  is  doubtful,"  Mrs.  Portlieris  went  on,  pulling 
herself  together,  "  whether  we  are  ever  found.  There 
are  nine  hundred  miles  of  Catacond)s.  T'^nlesa  we  be- 
come cannibals  we  are  likely  to  die  of  starvation.    If  we 


'7'^'™"     ",  ,^  W"*" 


A  V()YA(;e  ok  consolation. 


18L 


k 

pe 
re 


do  bcconic  fiiniiilmls,  Mr.  Dod,"  she  {iddcfl,  sternly  cn- 
dcavonrin^  to  look  Dicky  in  the  eye,  "  I  liojtc  yoii  will 
rcnicinlxT  uhiif  isli  due  to  kidics." 

"  i  will  oiler  iiiysell*  up  <j,liidly,"  siiid  li",  jind  I 
could  not  help  rellectiufi'  upon  the  ciuufort  of  a 
third  party  with  a  sense  of  humour  under  the  circuin- 
stances. 

''  Thass  ri;^lit,"  said  Mrs.  I*ortheris,  rxtddin^  ap|»rov- 
in^ly,  and  niueli  oftener  than  was  necessary.  "  TluMi^li 
there  isn't  much  on  vou — vou  won't  <:o  verv  far."  Then 
aftei'  a  moment  of  gloomy  reflection  she  hlew  out  her 
candle,  and,  Ixd'ore  I  couhl  j)revent  it,  mine  also.  Dicky 
liastily  ])ut  his  out  of  reach. 

"  'Idiree  candles  at  once,"  sh(;  ssiid  virtuously,  '^  in  a 
room  of  this  si/el  Jt  is  wicked  extravagance,  neither 
more  nor  less," 

I  assure  you  you  wotdil  have  laughed,  even  in  the 
(*atacoml)s,  and  Dicky  and  I  mutually  approached  the 
])or(lers  of  hysteria  in  our  misplaced  mirth.  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  smiled  in  urnson  somewhat  foolishly,  and  we  saw 
that  slund)er  was  overtakinj^  her.  (iradnally  and  un- 
consciously she  sli[)f)ed  down  and  hack,  and  presently 
rested  comfortably  in  the  sepulchre  of  jier  selection, 
soun<l  asleej). 

"  She  is  riglit  in  it,"  said  Dicky,  holding  up  hi.s  can- 
dle. ''  She's  a  lulu,"  he  add(;d  disgustedly,  "  with  her 
cucalyptns." 

This  was  disrespectful,  hut  consider  the  annoyance  of 
losing  a  third  of  our  forees  against  seven  million  Early 


I  miiiwffV»:ffi^;Hi 


182  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

Cliristian  ghosts.  AVe  sat  down,  Dicky  and  I,  with 
onr  backs  against  tlic  tomb  of  Mrs.  I*ortlieris,  and  when 
IJicky  suggested  that  I  might  like  him  to  hold  my 
hand  for  a  little  while  I  made  no  objecti(m  whatever. 
AVe  decided  that  the  immediate  prospect,  though  un- 
comfortable, was  not  alarming,  that  we  had  been  wan- 
dering about  for  j)ossibly  an  hour,  judging  by  the 
dwindling  of  Dicky's  candle,  and  that  search  must  be 
made  for  us  as  soon  as  ever  the  others  went  above 
ground  and  heard  from  Brother  Demetrius  the  tale  of 
our  abandonment.  I  said  that  if  I  knew  anvthinc; 
about  momma's  capacity  for  underground  walking,  the 
other  party  would  have  gone  up  long  ago,  and  that 
search  for  us  w^as,  therefore,  in  all  likelihood,  proceed- 
ing now,  though  perhaps  it  would  be  wiser,  in  case  we 
might  want  them,  to  burn  only  one  candle  at  a  time. 
We  had  onlv  to  listen  intentlv  and  we  would  hear  the 
voices  of  the  searchers.  We  did  listen,  but  all  that  we 
heard  w^as  a  faint  far  distant  moan,  which  Dicky  tried 
to  make  me  believe  was  the  wind  in  a  ventilating  shaft. 
We  could  also  hear  a  prolonged  thumping  very  close  to 
us,  but  that  we  could  each  account  for  personally.  And 
nothing  more. 

"  Dicky,"  said  I  after  a  time,  "  if  it  weren't  for  the 
candle  I  believe  I  should  be  frightened." 

"  It's  about  the  most  parsimonious  style  of  candle 
I've  ever  seen,"  replied  Dicky,  "  but  it  would  give  a 
little  more  light  if  it  were  trimmed."  And  he  opened 
his  pocket-knife. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


183 


e 


*'  Be  very  careful,"  I  begged,  and  Dicky  said 
'' Rather!" 

"  Did  voii  ever  notice,"  he  asked,  "  that  vou  can 
touch  flame  all  right  if  you  are  only  quick  enough^ 
Xow,  see  me  take  the  to})  off  that  candle."  If  Dicky 
had  a  fault  it  was  a  tendencv  to  boastfulness.  He  took 
the  lighted  wick  between  his  thumb  and  his  knife-blade, 
and  skilfully  scooped  the  top  off.  It  blazed  for  two 
seconds  on  the  edge  of  the  blade — just  long  enough 
to  show  us  that  all  the  flame  had  come  with  it. 
Then  it  went  out,  and  in  the  darkness  at  mv  side 
I  heard  a  scuffling  among  waistcoat  pockets,  and  a 
groan. 

"  Xo  matches?"  I  asked  in  despair. 

"  Left  'em  in  my  light  overcoat  pockets,  Mamie. 
I'm  a  bii>:c:er  ass  than — than  ^lafferton." 

"  You  are,"  I  sai<l  with  decision.  "  Xo  Englishman 
goes  anywhcra  without  his  light  overcoat.  AVhat  have 
you  done  with  yours?  " 

"  Left  it  in  the  carriage,"  replied  Dick  humbly. 

"  That  shows,"  said  I  bitterlv,  "  how  little  vou  have 
learned  in  England.  Propriety  in  connection  with  you 
is  evidently  like  water  and  a  duck's  back.  An  intelli- 
gent person  would  have  accpured  the  light  (Overcoat 
principle  in  three  days,  and  never  have  gone  out  with- 
out it  afterward." 

"Oh,  go  on!"  replied  Dick  fiercely.  "Go  on.  I 
don't  mind.  I'm  not  so  stuck  on  myself  as  I  was.  But 
if  we've  got  to  die  together  you  might  as  well  forgive 


184  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

me.     You'll  have  to  do  it   at   the   last   moment,  you 
know." 

"  I  suppose  you  have  be^an  to  review  3'our  past  life," 
I  said  grimly,  "  and  that's  why  you  are  using  so  much 
American  slang." 

Then,  as  iJicky  was  again  holding  my  hands,  I 
maintained  a  dignified  silence.  You  cannot  possibly 
quarrel  with  a  person  who  is  holding  your  hand,  no  mat- 
ter how  you  feel. 

''  There's  only  one  thing  tliat  consoles  me  in  con- 
nection with  those  matches,"  Dicky  mentioned  after  a 
time.     ^'  Thev  were  French  ones." 

"  I  don't  know  what  that  has  to  do  with  it,"  I  said. 

"  That's  because  you  don't  smoke,"  Dicky  replied. 
And  I  had  not  the  h.art  to  pursue  the  inquiry.  Time 
went  on,  black  and  silent,  as  it  had  been  doing  down 
there  for  sixteen  centuries.  AVe  stopped  arguing  about 
why  they  didn't  come  to  look  for  us,  each  privately 
wondering  if  it  was  possible  that  we  had  strayed  too 
ingeniously  ever  to  be  found.  AVe  talked  of  many  things 
to  try  to  keep  up  our  spirits,  the  conviction  of  the  St. 
Jameses  Gazette  that  American  young  ladies  live  largely 
upon  chewing-gum,  and  other  topics  far  removed  from 
our  surroundings,  but  the  effort  was  not  altogether  suc- 
cessful. Dicky  had  just  pennitted  himself  to  make 
a  reference  to  his  mother  in  Chicago  when  a  sound  be- 
hind  us  made  us  both  start  violently,  and  then  cheered 
us  immensely — a  snore  from  Mrs.  Portheris  within  the 
tomb.     It  was  not,  happily,  a  single  accidental  snore, 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


185 


iit 
y 
>o 

t. 

'y 
111 

ic- 

;e 

10 


but  tlio  foreniinicr  of  ji  regular  sorios,  and  wo  haug 
upon  tlioni  as  thoy  issued,  eouiforted  and  supported. 
We  were  vagu(dv  aware  that  we  eould  have  no  bettoi* 
defenec  against  disembodied  Early  (diristians,  when, 
in  the  course  of  an  hour,  ^[rs.  Portheris  sat  up  sud- 
denly among  the  bones  of  the  original  occupant  and 
asked  what  time  it  was.  A\  e  felt  a  pang  of  regret  at 
losing  it. 

After  the  first  moment  or  two  that  lady  realized  the 
situation  completely.  "  I  suppose,"  she  said,  '^  we  have 
been  down  here  about  two  days.  I  am  ([uitc  faint  with 
hunger.  I  have  often  read  that  candles,  under  these 
terrible  circumstances,  are  sustaining.  What  a  good 
thing  we  have  got  the  candles." 

Dicky  S(jueezed  my  hand  nervously,  luit  our  chap- 
erone  had  slept  off  the  eucalyptus  and  had  no  longer 
one  cannibal  thought. 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  time  for  candles  yet,"  he  said 
reassuringly.  ''  You  have  been  asleep,  you  know,  Mrs. 
Portheris." 

"  If  vou  have  eaten  them  already,  T  consider  that 
vou  have  taken  an  unfair  advantage,  a  verv  unfair  ad- 


>> 


vantage 

"  Here  is  mine !  "  exclaimed  Dicky  nobly.  "  I  hope 
I  can  denv  mvself,  Mrs.  Portheris,  to  that  extent." 

"And  mine,"  I  echoed;  "but  really,  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  " 

Another  pressure  of  Dicky's  hand  reminded  me — T 
am  ashamed  to  confess  it — that  if  Mrs.  Portheris  was 


»iii«iiifii"<»^wip^  iii«^_ii|pi|pii^i(v«ipil|ii««i^>,iiiwifij.iiip,i|jgaiaii«ini^i>iv|v]!«vijii(i>(uii*;!(ipwr^ 


186 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


bent  upon  the  unnecessary  consumption  of  Roman  tal- 
low there  was  nothing  in  lier  past  treatment  of  either  of 
us  to  induce  us  to  prevent  her.  The  dictates  of  human- 
ity, I  know,  should  have  influenced  us  otherwise,  in 
connection  with  tallow,  but  they  seemed  for  the  mo- 
ment to  have  faded  as  completely  out  of  our  bosoms  as 
they  did  out  of  the  early  Roman  persecutors!  It  seemed 
to  me  that  all  my  country's  wrongs  at  the  hands  of  j\lrs. 
Portheris  rose  up  and  clamoured  to  be  avenged,  and 
Dicky  told  me  afterward  that  he  felt  just  the  same  way. 

''  Then  I  have  done  you  an  injustice,"  she  continued; 
"  I  apologize,  I  am  sure,  and  I  find  that  I  have  my  own 
candle,  thank  you.  It  is  adhering  to  the  side  of  my 
bonnet." 

"We  were  perfectly  silent. 

^'  Perhaps  I  ought  to  try  and  wait  a  little  longer," 
Mrs.  Portheris  hesitated,  "  but  I  feel  such  a  sinking, 
and  I  assure  you  I  have  fallen  away.  My  garments  are 
quite  loose." 

"  Of  course  it  depends,"  said  Dicky  scientifically, 
"  upon  the  amount  of  carbon  the  system  has  in  reserve. 
Personally  I  think  I  can  hold  out  a  little  longer.    I  had 

an  excellent  breakfast  this  m ,  the  day  we  came 

here.     But  if  I  felt  a  sinking " 

''Waugh!^^  said  Mrs.  Portheris. 

"  Have  you — have  you  begun  ?  "  I  exclaimed  in 
SLgony,  while  Dicky  shook  in  silence. 

"  1  have,"  replied  Mrs.  Portheris  hurriedly;  "  where 
— where  is  the  eucalyptus?    Ah!  I  have  it!  " 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


187 


^^Ben-en-euh !  It  is  nutri'^ivo,  T  am  sure,  but  it  re- 
quires a  cordial." 

The  darkness  for  some  reason  seemed  a  little  less 
black  and  the  silence  less  oppressive. 

^'  I  have  only  eaten  about  three  inches,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Portheris  presently.  Dicky  and  I  were  incapable 
of  conversation — "  but  I — but  I  cannot  go  on  at  pres- 
ent.    It  is  reallv  not  nice." 

a. 

''  An  overdone  fiavoi  r,  hasn't  it?  "  asked  Dicky,  be- 
tween gasps. 

"Very  much  so!  Horribly!  But  the  eucalyptus 
will,  I  hope,  enable  me  to  extract  some  benefit  from  it. 
I  think  I'll  lie  down  again."  And  we  heard  the  sound 
of  a  cork  restored  to  its  bottle  as  .Mrs.  Portheris  returned 
to  the  tomb.  It  was  quite  half  an  hour  before  she  woke 
up,  declaring  that  a  whole  night  had  passed  and  that 
she  was  more  famished  than  ever.  "'  But,"  she  added, 
"  I  feel  it  impossible  to  go  on  with  the  candle.  There  is 
something  about  the  wick " 

"  I  know,"  said  Dicky  sympathetically,  *'  unless  you 
are  born  in  Greenland,  you  cannot  really  enjoy  them. 
There  is  an  alternative.  Airs.  Portheris,  but  I  didn't  like 
to  mention  it " 

"  I  know,"  she  replied,  ''  shoe  leather.  I  have 
read  of  that,  too,  and  I  think  it  would  be  an  im- 
provement. Have  you  got  a  pocket-knife,  Air. 
Dod?" 

Dicky  produced  it  without  a  pang  and  we  heard  the 

rapid  sound  of  an  unbuttoning  shoe.     "  I  had  these 
13 


w 


188 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


made  to  order  at  two  guineas,  in  the  Burlington  Ar- 
cade," said  ^Irs.  Portheris  regretfully. 

"  Then,"  said  Dicky  gravely,  groping  to  hand  her 
the  knife,  "  they  will  oe  of  good  kid,  and  probably 
tender." 

"I  hope  so,  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris;  ^' we 
must  all  have  some.  "  Will  you — will  you  carve,  Mr. 
Dod?" 

I  remembered  with  a  pang  how  punctilious  they 
were  in  England  about  asking  gentlemen  to  perform 
this  duty,  and  I  received  one  more  impression  of  the 
permanence  of  British  ideas  of  propriety.  But  Dicky 
declined;  said  he  couldn't  undertake  it — for  a  party, 
and  that  Mrs.  Portheris  must  please  help  herself  and 
never  mind  him,  he  would  take  anything  there  was,  a 
little  later,  with  great  hospitality.  However,  she  in- 
sisted, and  my  portion,  I  know,  was  a  generous  one,  a 
slice  off  the  ankle.  Mrs.  Portheris  begged  us  to  begin; 
she  said  it  was  so  cheerless  eating  by  one's  self,  and 
made  her  feel  quite  greedy. 

*'  Really,"  she  said,  "  it  is  much  better  than  candle 
— a  little  difficult  to  masticate  perhaps,  but,  if  I  do  say 
it  myself,  quite  a  tolerable  flavour.  If  I  only  hadn't 
used  that  abominable  French  polish  this  morning.  What 
do  you  think,  Mr.  Dod?  " 

"  I  think,"  said  Dicky,  jumping  suddenly  to  his  feet, 
while  my  heart  stood  still  with  anticipation,  "  that  if 
there's  enough  of  that  shoe  left,  you  had  better  put  it 
on  again,  for  I  hear  people  calling  us,"  and  then,  mak- 


Ar- 


{ 


i 


"In 


Dicky  shouted  till  tiio  skeletons  turned  to  libten. 


A   VOYAGE  OK  CONSOLATION. 


189 


ing  a  trumpet  with  his  hands,  Dicky  shoutcil  till  all  the 
Koinan  skeletons  siillicientlv  intaet  turned  to  listen. 
JiUt  this  time  tlie  answer  came  hack  from  their  desceud- 
ants,  running  with  a  llash  uf  hmterns. 


I  will  ski  )  the  scone  of  our  reunion,  because  I  am 
not  g(»od  at  matters  which  are  nKJving,  and  we  were  all 
excessively  moved.  It  is  necessary  to  exi)lain,  however, 
that  IJrother  Demetrius,  when  he  went  above  ground, 
felt  his  lund)ago  so  acutely  that  he  retired  to  bed,  and 
■was  therefore  not  visible  when  the  others  came  up.  As 
we  had  [)lanned  beforehand,  the  Senator  decided  to  go 
on  to  the  Jewish  ('atacond)s,  taking  it  for  granted  that 
we  would  follow,  while  IJrother  Kusebius,  when  he 
found  Demetrius  in  l)ed,  als(j  took  it  for  granted  that 
we  had  gone  on  ahead,  lie  did  not  impure,  he  said, 
because  the  virtue  of  taciturnitv  l)ein<»'  denied  to  them 
ill  the  exercise  of  their  business,  they  always  diligently 
cultivated  it  in  private.  My  own  conviction  was  that 
they  were  not  on  speaking  terms.  Our  friends  and 
relatives,  after  looking  at  the  Jewish  Catacombs,  had 
driven  back  to  the  hotel,  and  onlv  began  to  feel  anx- 
ious  at  tea  time,  as  they  knew  the  English  refreshment- 
rooms  were  closed  for  the  season,  like  everything  else, 
and  Isabel  asserted  with  tears  that  if  her  mother  was 
above  ground  she  would  not  miss  her  tea.  So  tliev  all 
drove  back  to  the  Catacombs,  and  effected  our  rescue 
after  we  had  been  immured  for  exactly  seven  hours.  I 
wish  to  add,  to  the  credit  of  Mr.  Richard  Dod,  that  he 


190 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


has  never  yet  breathed  a  syllable  to  anybody  about  the 
manner  in  whi(di  Mrs.  Portheris  sustained  nature  dur- 
ing our  imprisonment,  although  he  must  often  have 
been  strongly  tempted  to  do  so.  And  neither  have  1 — 
until  now. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


"  The  tliinp:  that  struck  mo  on  our  «lrivo  to  tlie 
hotel,"  remarked  momma,  "  was  that  Xaples  was  almost 
eiitirelv  inhahited  bv  the  lower  classes." 

"  That  is  verv  uoticeahle  iiuleed,"  concurred  Mr. 
Mafferton,  who  was  also  tliere  for  the  first  time.  "  The 
people  of  the  place  are  no  doubt  in  the  country  at  this 
time  of  the  year,  but  one  would  naturally  exi)ect  to  sec 
more  respectable  persons  about." 

"  Xow  you'll  excuse  me,  ^[afferton,"  said  the  Sena- 
tor, ^'  but  that's  just  one  of  those  places  where  I  lose 
the  trail  of  the  English  language  ab  used  by  the  original 
inventors.  Where  do  vou  draw  the  line  of  distinction 
between  people  and  persons?" 

"  It's  a  mere  Briticism,  poppa,"  I  observed.  Mr. 
Mafferton  loathed  being  obliged  to  defend  his  native 
tongue  at  any  point.  That  very  morning  the  modus 
Vivendi  between  us,  that  T  had  done  so  much  for  Dicky's 
sake  to  establish,  had  been  been  imperilled  by  my  fool- 
ish determination  to  know  why  all  Englishmen  pro- 
nounced "  white  "  "  wite." 

"  I  daresay,"  said  poppa  gloomily,  "  but  T  am  not 

on  to  it  and  I  don't  suppose  T  ever  shall  be.    "What  struck 

191 


192  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

me  on  tlic  ride  up  through  the  city  was  the  perambulat- 
ing biitli.  Going  round  on  wheels  to  be  hired  out,  just 
the  ordinary  tin  tub  of  commerce.  The  fellows  were 
shouting  something — '  Who'll  buy  a  wash! '  I  suppose. 
But  tliat's  the  disadvantage  of  a  foreign  language;  it 
leaves  so  much  to  the  imagination." 

"  The  goats  were  nice,"  I  said,  ''  so  promiscuous.  I 
saw  one  of  them  looking  out  of  a  window." 

"  And  the  dear  little  horses  with  bells  round  their 
necks,"  monnna  added,  ''  and  the  tall  yellow  houses  with 
the  stucco  dropping  off,  and  especially  the  fruit  shops 
and  the  flower  stalls  that  make  pictures  down  every 
narrow  street.     Such  masses  of  colour!  " 

"  We  might  have  hit  on  a  worse  hotel,"  observed 
Mr.   Mafferton.     "  Very  tolerable  soup,   to-night." 

"  I  can't  say  I  noticed  the  soup,"  said  the  Senator. 
^'  Fact  is,  soup  to  me  is  just — soup.  I  presume  tliere 
are  different  kinds,  but  beyond  knowing  most  of  them 
from  gruel  I  don't  pretend  to  be  a  connoisseur." 

"  What  nonsense,  Alexander!  "  said  momma  sternly. 

"  Some  are  saliier  than  others,  Augusta,  I  admit. 
But  what  I  w^as  going  on  to  say  was  that  for  clear  mo- 
notony the  dinner  programmes  ever  since  Paris  have 
beaten  the  record.  Bramlev  told  me  how  it  would  be. 
Consommy,  he  said — that's  soup — consommy,  the  who'e 
enduring  time.  Fish  fritc  or  fried,  roast  beef  a  Vliall- 
enne  or  mixed  up  with  vegetables.  Beans — well,  juSt 
beans,  and  if  vou  don't  like  'em  vou  can  leave  'em,  but 
that  fourth  course  is  never  anything  but  beans.     After 


I  iij  ^,i|i^OT^;^mpqi|ia<ijii>|^i^pjiii 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


103 


1^ 


that  3'on  get  a  chicken  cut  up  witli  h^ttuce,  because  if 
it  was  put  on  the  tal)le  whok'  some  disappointed  investi- 
gator might  find  out  there  was  nothing  inside  and  fik^ 
a  complaint.  Anything  to  support  tliat  unstuffed 
chicken?  Xope.  Finishing  up  with  a  compote  of 
canned  fruit,  mostly  California  pears  that  want  moro 
cooking,  and  after  that  cheese,  if  you  like  cheese,  and 
coffee  charged  extra.  Thaid^s  to  Brjnnley,  I  can't  say 
I  didn't  know  what  to  expect,  but  that  doesn't  increase 
the  variety  an  v.  Xow  in  America — I  understand  you 
have  been  to  America,  sir  if  " 

"  I  have  travelled  in  the  States  to  some  extent," 
responded  ^[r.  ^lafferton. 

'*^  Seen  Brooklyn  Bridge  and  the  Hudson,  I  pre- 
sume. Had  a  look  at  Xiagara  Falls  and  a  run  out  to 
Chicago,  maybe.  That  was  before  T  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  you.  Get  as  far  as  the  Yosemite?  Xo? 
Well,  you  were  there  long  enough  anyhow  to  realise 
that  our  hotels  are  run  on  the  free  will  svstem." 

"  I  remember,"  said  Mr.  MafTerton.  ''  All  the  lux- 
uries of  the  coming  season,  printed  on  a  card  usually 
about  a  foot  long.  A  great  variety,  and  very  difficult  to 
understand.  When  I  had  finished  trying  to  translate 
the  morning  paper,  I  used  to  attack  the  card.  I  found 
that  it  threw  quite  a  light  upon  early  American  civilisa- 
tion from  the  aboriginal  side.  '  Hominy,'  '  Grits,' 
'  Buckwheats,'  '  Cantelopes,'  are  some  of  the  dishes  I 
remember.  '  Succotash,'  too,  and  ^  creamed  squash,'  but 
I  think  they  occurred  at  dinner  generally.     I  used  to 


J 

194  A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  J 


t 


siiminon  tlio  waitor,  and  wlicn  he  came  to  take  ray 
orders  I  would  ask  liim  to  derive  those  dishes.  I  had 
great  difficulty  after  a  time  in  summoning  a  waiter. 
But  the  plan  gave  me  many  interesting  half  hours.  In 
the  end  I  usually  ordered  a  chop." 

"  I  don't  want  to  run  down  your  politics,"  poppa 
said,  "  but  that's  what  I  call  being  too  conservative. 
Augusta,  if  you  have  had  enough  of  the  Bay  of  Xaples 
and  the  moon,  I  mii>;ht  remind  vou  of  the  buried  citv  of 
Pompeii,  which  is  on  for  to-morrow.  It's  a  good  long 
way  out,  and  you'll  want  all  your  powers  of  endurance. 
I'm  going  down  to  have  a  smoke,  and  a  look  at  the 
humorous  publications  of  Italy.  There's  no  sort  of 
sociability  about  these  hotels,  but  the  head  portiej-  knows 
a  little  English." 

'^  I  suppose  I  had  better  retire,"  momma  admitted, 
^'  though  I  sometimes  wish  ^[r.  AVick  wasn't  so  careful 
of  my  nervous  system.  Delicious  scene,  good-night." 
And  she  too  left  us. 

We  were  sitting  in  a  narrow  balcony  that  seemed 
to  jut  out  of  a  horn  of  the  city's  lovely  crescent.  Dicky 
and  Isabel  occupied  chairs  at  a  distance  nicely  calcu- 
lated to  necessitate  a  troublesome  raising  of  the  voice 
to  communicate  with  them.  Mrs.  Portheris  was  still 
confined  to  her  room  with  what  was  understood  to 
be  the  constitutional  shock  of  her  experiences  in 
the  Catacombs.  Dicky,  in  joyful  privacy,  assured 
me  tliat  nobody  could  recover  from  a  combination 
of  Roman  tallow  and  French  kid  in  less  than  a  week, 


We  were  sitting  in  a  narrow  balcony. 


' . 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  195 

but  I  told  him  he  did  not  know  the  British  constitu- 
tion. 

The  moon  sailed  high  over  Xaplcs,  and  lighted  the 
lapping  curve  of  her  perfect  bay  in  the  deepest,  softest 
blue,  and  showed  us  some  of  the  nearer  houses  of  the 
city,  sloping  and  shouldering  and  creeping  down,  that 
they  were  pink  and  yellow  and  parti-coloured,  while  the 
rest  curved  and  glimmered  round  the  water  in  all  ten- 
der tones  of  white  holding  up  a  thousand  lamps.  And 
behind,  curving  too,  the  hills  stood  clear,  with  the  grey 
phantom  of  Vesuvius  in  sharp  familiar  lines,  sending 
up  its  stream  of  steady  red,  and  now  and  then  a  leaping 
flame.  It  was  a  scene  to  wake  the  latent  sentiment  of 
even  a  British  bosom.  I  thought  I  would  stay  a  little 
longer. 

"  So  you  usually  ordered  a  chop? "  I  said  by  way 
of  resuming  the  conversation.  "  I  hope  the  chops  were 
tender." 

(I  have  a  vague  recollection  that  my  intonation 
was.) 

"  There  are  worse  things  in  the  States  than  the  mut- 
ton," replied  Mr.  Mafferton,  moving  his  chair  to  en- 
able him,  by  twisting  his  neck  not  too  ostentatiously, 
to  glance  occasionally  at  Dicky  and  Isabel,  ""  but 
the  steaks  were  distinctly  better  than  the  chops — dis- 
tinctly." 

"  So  all  connoisseurs  say,"  I  replied  respectfully. 
"  Would  you  like  to  change  seats  with  me?  I  don't 
mind  sitting  with  my  back  to — Vesuvius." 


■',i|P!.«^j(|lif.»in»  i»"i.i  ^^ii.iww|iiiiinniwi  )!iiW^,wrTI.W'f''W''W?.''WII!"««WWI'lW 


196  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

^Ir.  Maffcrton  blushed — unless  it  was  the  glow  from 
the  volcano. 

*'  Kot  on  my  account,"  he  said.     "  By  any  means." 

"  You  do  not  fear  a  demonstration,"  I  suggested. 
"  And  yet  the  forces  of  nature  are  very  uncertain.  That 
is  your  English  nerve.    It  deserves  all  that  is  said  of  it." 

Mr.  Mafferton  looked  at  me  suspiciously. 

"  I  fancy  you  must  be  joking,"  he  said.  f 

He  sometimes  complained  that  the  great  bar  to  his 
observation  of  the  American  character  was  the  Ameri- 
can sense  of  humour.  It  was  one  of  the  things  he  had 
made  a  note  of,  as  interfering  with  the  intelligent 
stranger's  enjoyment  of  the  country. 

'^  I  suppose,"  I  replied  reproachfully,  "  you  never 
pause  to  think  how  unkind  a  suspicion  like  that  is? 
When  one  icislies  to  be  taken  seriously." 

"  I  fear  I  do  not,"  Mr.  Maiferton  confessed.  '^  Per- 
haps I  jump  rather  hastily  to  conclusions  sometimes. 
It's  a  family  trait.  We  get  it  through  the  Warwick- 
Howards  on  mv  mother's  side." 

"  Then,  of  course,  there  can't  be  any  objection  to 
it.  But  when  one  knows  a  person's  opinion  of  frivolit}', 
always  to  be  thought  frivolous  by  the  person  is  hard 
to  bear.     Awfully." 

And  if  my  expression,  as  I  gazed  past  this  English- 
man at  Vesuvius,  was  one  of  sad  resignation,  there  was 
nothing  in  the  situation  to  exhilarate  anybody. 

The  impassive  countenance  of  Mr.  Mafferton  was 
disturbed  by  a  ray  of  concern.     The  moonlight  enabled 


iliu/Uiiapimja.ll  »ji  »,iii^i»mw^»pnpn]in|||i 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


197 


me  to  see  it  quite  olearly.     "  Pray,   Miss  Wick,"  lie 

said,  ''  do  not  think  that.     Who  was  it  that  wrote — 

"  A  little  humour  now  and  then 
Is  relished  by  the  wisest  men." 

"  I  don't  know,"  I  said,  "  hut  there's  something 
about  it  that  makes  me  tliink  it  is  English  in  its  origin. 
Do  you  really  endorse  it?  " 

*'  Certainly  I  do.  And  your  liveliness,  ^fiss  Wick, 
if  I  mav  say  so,  is  certainly  one  of  your  accomplishments. 
It  is  to  some  extent  a  racial  characteristic.  You  share 
it  with  Mr.  Dod." 

I  glanced  in  the  direction  of  the  other  two.  "  They 
seem  desperately  bored  with  each  other,"  I  said.  ''  They 
are  not  saying  anything.     Shall  we  join  them?  " 

"  Dod  is  probably  sulking  because  I  am  monopolising 
you.  Mrs.  Portheris,  you  see,  has  let  me  into  the  secret  " 
— Mr.  Mafferton  looked  very  arch — "  By  all  means,  if 
you  think  he  ought  to  be  humoured." 

"  Xo,"  I  said  firmly,  "  humouring  is  very  bad  for 
Dicky.  But  I  don't  think  he  should  be  allowed  to  wreak 
his  ill-temper  on  Isabel." 

"  I  haye  noticed  a  certain  lack  of  power  to  take  the 
initiatiye  about  Miss  Portheris,"  said  ^fr.  ^fafferton 
coldly,  ''  especially  when  her  mother  is  not  with  her. 
She  seems  quite  unable  to  extricate  herself  from  situa- 
tions like  the  present." 

"  She  is  so  young,"  I  said  apologetically,  "  and  be- 
sides, I  don't  think  you  could  expect  her  to  go  quite 
away  and  leave  us  here  together,  you  know.    She  would 


198  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

naturally  have  foolish  ideas..    She  doesn't  know  any- 
thing about  our  irrevocable  Past." 

"  Why  should  she  care?  "  asked  Mr.  Mafferton  hypo- 
critically. 

"Oh,"  I  said.  "I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Only 
Mrs.  Portheris " 

"  She  is  certainly  a  charming  girl,"  said  Mr.  Maf- 
ferton. 

"  And  so  well  brought  up,"  said  I. 

"  Ye-es.     Perhaps  a  little  self-contained." 

"  She  has  no  need  to  rely  upon  her  conversation." 
I  observed. 

"  I  don't  know.    The  fact  is " 

"What  is  the  fact?"  I  asked  softly.  "After  all 
that  has  passed  I  think  I  may  claim  your  confidence,  Mr. 
Mafferton."  I  had  some  difficulty  afterwards  in  justify- 
ing this,  but  it  seemed  entirely  appropriate  at  the  time. 

"  The  fact  is,  that  up  to  three  weeks  ago  I  believed 
Miss  Portheris  to  be  the  incarnation  of  so  many  unas- 
suming virtues  and  personal  charms  that  I  was  almost 
ready  to  make  a  fresh  bid  for  domestic  happiness  in 
her  society.    I  have  for  some  time  wished  to  marry " 

"  I  know,"  I  said  sympathetically. 

"  But  during  the  last  three  weeks  I  have  become  a 
little  uncertain." 

"  There  shouldn't  be  the  slightest  uncertainty,"  I 
observed. 

"  Marriage  in  England  is  such  a  permanent  institu- 
tion." 


I 


. 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


199 


r 


*'  I  have  known  it  to  last  for  vears  even  in  tlie  United 
States,"  I  sighed. 

"  And  it  is  a  serious  responsibility  to  undertake  to 
reciprocate  in  full  the  devotion  of  an  attached  wife." 

"  I  fancy  Isabel  is  a  person  of  strong  aifections,"  I 
said;  "  one  notices  it  with  her  mother.  And  any  one 
who  could  dote  on  Mrs.  Portheris  would  certainly " 

"  I  fear  so,"  said  Mr.  Mufferton. 

"  I  understand  "  I  continued,  '"  whv  vou  hesitate. 
And  really,  feeling  as  you  do,  I  wouldn't  be  precipi- 
tate." 

"  I  won't,"  he  said. 

"  Watch  the  state  of  your  own  heart,"  I  counselled, 
"  for  some  little  time.  You  mav  be  sure  that  hers  will 
not  alter;  "  and,  as  we  said  good-night,  I  further  sug- 
gested that  it  would  be  a  kindness  if  Mr.  Mafferton 
would  join  my  lonely  parent  in  the  smoking-room. 

I  don't  know  what  happened  on  the  balcony  after 
that. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


"  Mamma,"  said  Isabel,  as  we  gathered  in  the  hotel 
vestibule  for  the  start  to  Pompeii,  '*  is  really  not  fit  to 
undertake  it." 

"  You'll  excuse  me,  Aunt  Caroline,"  remarked  the 
Senator,  "  but  your  complexion  isn't  by  any  means 
right  yet.  It's  a  warm  day  and  a  long  drive.  Just  as 
likelv  as  not  vou'll  be  down  sick  after  it." 

"  Stuff!  "  said  Mrs.  Portheris.  "  I  thank  mv  stars 
I  have  got  no  enfeebled  American  constitution.  I  am 
perfectly  equal  to  it,  thank  you." 

"  It's  most  unwise,"  observed  Mr.  Mafferton. 

"  Darned — I  mean  extremely  risky,"  sighed  Dicky. 

Mrs.  Portheris  faced  upon  them.  "  And  pray  what 
do  you  know  about  it?"  she  demanded. 

Then  momma  put  in  her  oar,  taking  most  unguard- 
edly a  privilege  of  relationship.  "  Of  course,  you  are 
the  best  judge  of  how  you  feel  yourself.  Aunt  Caro- 
line, but  we  are  told  there  are  some  steps  to  ascend 
when  we  get  there — and  you  know  how  fleshy  you  are." 

In  the  instant  of  ominous  silence  which  occurred 

while  Mrs.  Portheris  was  getting  her  chin  into  the  angle 

of  its  greatest  majesty,   Mr.   Mafferton   considerately 

200 


') 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


201 


I 


walked  to  the  door.  AVlicii  it  was  accomplisiicd  she 
looked  at  nioninia  sideways  and  down  her  nose,  preeisely 
in  the  manner  of  tiie  late  Air.  Du  Alaurier's  ladies  in 
Panvli,  in  the  same  state  of  mind.  She  mi^ht  have  aut 
or  stood  to  him.     It  was  another  ideal  realised. 

"  That  is  the  latest,  the  very  latest  Americanism 
which  I  have  observed  in  yonr  conversation,  Angusta. 
In  your  native  land  it  may  be  admissible,  but  please 
understand  that  1  cannot  permit  it  to  be  applied  to  me 
personally.  To  English  ears  it  is  otfensive,  very  offen- 
sive. It  is  also  ([uite  im})roper  for  you  to  assume  any 
familiarity  with  my  iigure.  As  you  say,  /  may  be  aware 
of  its  corpulence,  but  nobody  else — er — can  possibly 
know  anything  about  it." 

Alomma  was  speechless,  and,  as  usual,  the  Senator 
came  to  the  rescue.  lie  never  will  allow  momma  to  be 
trampled  on,  and  there  was  distinct  retaliation  in  his 
manner.  "  Look  here,  aunt,"  he  said,  "  there's  nothing 
profane  in  saying  you're  fleshy  when  y<.)u  are,  you  know, 
and  vou  don't  need  to  remove  so  much  as  your  bonnet 
strings  for  the  general  public  to  be  aware  of  it.  And 
when  you  come  to  America  don't  you  ever  insult  any- 
body by  calling  her  cor})ulent,  which  is  r  perfectly  in- 
decent expression.  Xow  if  you  won't  go  back  to  bed 
and  tranqTiillise  your  mind — on  a  plain  soda " 

"  I  won't,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris. 

"  De  carriages  is  ?lready,"  said  the  head  porter,  glis- 
tening with  an  amiability  of  which  we  all  appreciated 
the  balm.     And  we  entered  the  carriages — Mrs.  Per- 


202 


A    VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATIOX. 


tli(M'is  1111(1  tlic  (lowiiciist  Isabel  and  Mr.  MaiTci't«tn  in  ono, 
and  iiioninia,  poppa,  Dicky,  and  1  in  the  otiicr.  For  no 
American  wonld  have  been  safe  in  Mrs.  Portlieri.s's 
carriage  for  at  least  two  hours,  and  tliis  came  home  ev(.'U 
to  Mr.  Dod. 

"  Xever  again!"  exclaimed  momma  as  we  rattled 
down  among  the  narrow  streets  that  crowd  under  the 
Funicular  railway.  ''  Xever  again  will  I  call  that 
wonum  Aunt  C^aroline." 

''  Don't  call  her  fleshy,  my  dear,  that's  what  really 
irritated  her,"  remarked  the  Senator.  The  Senator's  dis- 
crimination, 1  have  often  noticed,  is  not  the  nicest  thing 
about  him. 

Hours  and  hours  it  seemed  to  take,  that  drive  to 
Pompeii.  Past  the  andutious  confecti<mer  with  his  win- 
dow full  of  cherry  pies,  each  cherry  round  and  red  and 
shining  like  a  marble,  and  the,  plate  glass  dry-goods  store 
where  ready-made  costumes  were  displayed  that  looked 
as  if  they  might  fit  just  as  badly  as  those  of  Westbourne 
Grove,  and  so  by  degrees  and  always  down  hill  through 
narrower  and  shabbier  streets  where  all  the  women 
walked  bareheaded  and  the  shops  were  mostly  turned 
out  on  the  pavement  for  the  convenience  of  customers, 
and  a  good  many  of  them  went  up  and  down  in  wheel- 
barrows. And  often  through  narrow  ways  so  high- 
walled  and  many-windowed  that  it  was  quite  cool  and 
dusky  down  below,  and  only  a  strip  of  sun  showed  far 
up  along  the  roofs  of  one  side.  Here  and  there  a  wheel- 
barrow went  strolling  through  these  streets  too,  and  we 


A   V()YA(}K  OF  C'OXSOLATIOX. 


2U3 


h- 
id 
ar 
i\- 


saw  at  least  one  faiiilly  marketing'.  From  a  little  sijuarc 
window  a  jMVKli^ious  way  \\\)  eaiiie,  as  we  passed,  a  ery 
with  eiistom  in  it,  an<l  a  wlieelltarrow  paused  hcncjith. 
Then  down  fn»ni  the  window  l)y  a  lonii',  lon^-  n»j>e  slid 
a  basket  from  the  hands  of  a  youn^-  woman  leaning" 
out  in  red,  and  the  vendor  took  the  o|)j)ort unity  of  sit- 
ting down  on  his  harrow  handle  till  it  arrived.  Soldi 
and  a  piece  of  paju-r  he  took  out  of  the  hasket  and  a 
cahhage  and  onions  he  put  in,  and  then  it  went  swing- 
ing ujjwards  and  he  picked  \\\)  his  harrow  again,  and  wo 
rattled  on  and  hd't  him  shouting  and  pushing  his  hat 
back — it  was  not  a  soft  felt  hut  a  howler — to  look  up 
at  the  other  windows.  Tn  spite  of  tlie  howler  it  was  a 
picturesque  and  Xeajiolitan  incident,  and  it  left  us  much 
divided  as  to  the  contents  of  the  piece  oi  ])aper. 

"  My  idea  is,"  said  the  Senator,  '"  that  the  y(»ung 
woman  in  the  red  jersey  was  the  hired  girl  and  that  note 
was  what  yon  might  call  a  clandestine  communication.'' 

"  Since  we  are  in  Xaples,"  remarked  ]Mr.  Dod,  ''  I 
think.  Senator,  your  deduction  is  correct.  Where  we 
come  from  a  slavey  with  any  self-respect  would  put  her 
sentiments  on  a  gilt-edged  corres})ondence  card  in  a 
scented  envelope  with  a  stamp  on  the  outside  and  ask 
you  to  kindly  drop  it  into  the  pillar  box  on  your  way  to 
business;  but  this  chimes  in  with  all  vou  read  about 
Naples." 

"Perfectly  ridiculous!"  said  momma.     "Mark  my 

words,  that  note  was  either  a  list  of  vegetables  wanted, 

or  an  intimation  that  if  they  weren't  going  to  be  fresher 
U 


204 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


than  the  last,  that  man  needn't  stop  for  orders  in  future. 
And  in  a  country  as  destitute  of  elevators  as  this  one 
is  I  suppose  you  couldn't  keep  a  servant  a  week  if  you 
didn't  let  her  siive  the  stairs  somehow.  But  I  must  say 
if  I  were  going  to  have  cabbage  and  onions  the  same  day 
1  wouldn't  like  the  neighbours  to  know  it." 

I  entirely  agreed  with  monnna,  and  was  reflecting, 
while  they  talked  of  something  else,  on  the  injustice  of 
considering  ours  the  sentimental  sex,  when  the  Senator 
leaned  forward  and  advised  me  in  an  undertone  to  make 
a  note  of  the  market  basket. 

'^  And  take  my  theory  to  account  for  the  piece  of 
paper,"  said  he;  "  your  mother's  may  be  the  most  likely, 
but  mine  is  icJiat  the  public  will  expect.^* 

And  ahvavs  the  shadows  of  the  narrow  streets 
crooked  in  the  end  into  a  little  plaza  full  of  sun  and 
beggars,  and  lemonade  stands,  and  hawkers  of  wild 
strawberries,  and  when  the  great  bank  of  a  flower-stall 
stood  just  where  the  shadow  ended  sharply  and  the  sun 
be. ran,  it  made  something  to  remember.  After  that  our 
way  lay  through  a  suburban  parish  fele,  and  we  pursued 
it  under  strings  and  strings  of  little  glass  lanterns,  red, 
and  green,  and  blue,  that  swung  across  the  streets;  and 
there  were  goats  and  more  children,  and  momma  vainly 
endeavoured  to  keep  off  the  smells  with  her  i)arasol. 
Then  a  region  of  docks  and  masts  rising  unexpectedly, 
and  many  little  fish  shops,  and  a  glitter  of  scales  on  the 
pavement,  and  disconnected  coils  of  rope,  and  lounging 
men  with  earrings,  and  unkempt  women  with  babies, 


'. : 


I    IliiiapfRi.  Hif  VI  on 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


205 


rcet3 
and 

wild 

-stall 
sun 

t  our 
sued 
red, 
and 

ainly 
asol. 
edly, 
the 

ging 
Lies, 


and  above  and  over  all  'lie  warm  scent,  standing  still 
in  the  sun,  of  hemp,  and  tar,  and  the  sea. 

''  The  city,"  said  the  Senator,  casting-  his  practised 
eye  on  a  piece  of  dead  wall  that  ran  along  the  pavement, 
*'  is  evidently  in  the  turmoil  of  a  general  election,  though 
you  mightn't  notice  it.  It's  the  third  tinu*  I've  seen 
those  })osters  "Vlra  il  Prcfflto!^  and  M'/ra  Uoppo- 
sizionc! '  That  seems  to  be  about  all  they  can  do,  just 
as  if  we  contented  ourselves  with  yelling  '  'Kali  for 
Brvan!  '  '  One  more  for  ]\rcKinley!  '  I  must  sav  if 
they  haven't  any  more  notion  of  business  than  that  they 
don't  either  of  'em  deserve  to  get  there." 

"  In  France,"  observed  Mr.  Dod,  "  they  stick  up 
little  handbills  addressed  to  their  '  cliers  conciloyens  '  as 
if  voters  were  a  lot  of  baa-lambs  and  willie-bovs.  It 
makes  enervating  reading." 

"  Young  man,"  said  pop])a  in  a  burst  of  feeling, 
"  they  say  the  American  eagle  might  keej)  her  beak  shut 
with  advantage,  more  than  she  does;  but  I  tell  you," 
and  the  Senator's  hand  came  down  hard  on  Dicky's 
knee,  "  a  trip  around  Eurojie  is  enough  to  turn  her  into 
a  singing  bird,  sir,  a  singing  bird." 

I  don't  get  my  imagination  entirely  from  momma, 

'^Vira  il  Prcfctfo!  Vira  Uoppoxizionr!  "  ])oppa  re- 
peated pityingly,  as  another  ytnlr  of  posters  came  in  sight. 
"  Well,  it  won't  ever  do  the  Government  of  Italy  any 
good,  but  I  guess  I'm  with  the  Opposizione.^^ 

The  road  grew  emptier  and  sandy  white,  and  com- 
merce forsook  it  but  for  here  and  there  a  little  shop  with 


I 


I 


20G  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

fat  yellow  bags,  which  were  the  people's  cheeses,  hang- 
ing in  bladders  at  the  door.  Crumbled  gateways  began 
to  appear,  and  we  saw  through  them  that  the  villa  gar- 
dens inside  ran  down  and  dropped  their  rose  leaves  into 
the  blue  of  the  ^lediterranean.  AVe  met  the  country 
people  going  their  ways  to  town ;  they  looked  at  us  with 
friendly  patronage,  knowing  all  about  us,  what  we  had 
come  to  see,  and  the  foolishness  of  it,  and  especially 
the  ridiculous  cost  of  caruzza  that  take  people  to  Pom- 
peii. And  at  last,  just  as  the  sun  and  the  jolting  and 
the  powdery  white  dust  combined  had  instigated  us  all 
to  suggest  to  the  Senator  how  much  better  it  would  have 
been  to  come  by  rail,  the  ponies  made  a  glad  and  jingling 
sweep  imder  the  acacias  of  the  Hotel  Diomede,  which  is 
at  the  portals  of  Pompeii. 

It  seemed  a  casual  and  a  cheerful  place,  full  of  open 
doors  and  i)roprietary  Xeapolitans  who  might  have  been 
brothers  and  sisters-in-law,  whose  conversation  we  inter- 
rupted coming  in.  There  had  been  domestic  ])otations; 
a  very  fat  lady,  with  a  horn  comb  in  her  hair,  wiped 
liquid  rings  off  the  table  with  her  apron,  removing  the 
glasses,  while  a  collarless  male  person  with  an  agreeable 
smile  and  a  soft  felt  hat  placed  wooden  chairs  for  us  in 
a  row.  Poppa  knows  no  Italian,  but  they  seemed  to 
imderstand  from  what  he  said  that  we  wanted  things  to 
drink,  and  brought  us  with  surprising  accuracy  precisely 
what  each  of  us  preferred,  lemonade  for  momma  and 
me,  and  beverages  consisting  largely,  though  not  en- 
tirely, of  soda  water  for  the  Senator  and  Mr.  Dod. 


F"«J"^/»^»W-v,'   \'"fiV  "V"IP4J|I 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


207 


in 
to 
to 
icly 
ind 
en- 
od. 


^^hile  we  refreshed  ourselves,  another,  elderly,  grizzled, 
and  one-eyed,  eame  and  took  up  a  position  just  outside 
the  door  opposite  and  sang  a  song  of  adventurous  love, 
boxing  his  own  ears  in  the  chorus  with  the  liveliest 
effect.  A  further  agreeable  person  waited  upon  us  and 
informed  us  that  he  was  the  interpreter,  he  would  every- 
thing explain  to  us,  that  this  was  a  beggar  man  who 
wanted  us  to  give  him  some  small  money,  but  tliere  was 
no  compulsion  if  we  did  not  wish  to  do  so.  I  think  he 
gave  us  that  interpretation  for  nothing.  The  fat  lady 
then  i)roduced  a  large  fan  which  she  waved  over  us 
assiduousl , .  and  the  colhirless  man  in  the  soft  hat  stood 
by  to  render  aid  in  any  further  emergency,  smiling  upon 
us  as  if  we  were  delicacies  out  of  season.  Poppa  bore 
it  as  long  as  he  could,  and  we  all  made  an  unsuccessful 
effort  to  appear  as  if  we  were  quite  accustomed  to  as 
much  attention  and  more  in  the  hotels  of  America;  but 
in  a  very  few  minutes  we  knew  all  the  disadvantages 
of  being  of  too  much  importance.  Presently  the  one- 
eyed  man  gave  w^ay  to  a  pair  of  players  on  the  flute  and 
mandolin. 

"  Look  here,"  said  poppa  at  this,  to  the  interpreter, 
*^  you  folks  are  putting  yourselves  out  on  our  account  a 
great  deal  more  than  is  necessary.  We  are  just  ordi- 
nary travelling  puldic,  and  you  don't  need  to  enter- 
tain us  with  side  shows  that  we  haven't  ordered  anv 
more  than  if  we  belonged  to  your  own  town.  See? " 
But  the  interpreter  did  not  see.  He  beckoned  instead 
to  an  engaging  daughter  of  the  fat  lady,  who  approached 


208  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

modestly  with  a  large  book  of  pliotograplis,  which  she 
opened  before  the  Senator,  kneeling  beside  his  chair. 

"Great  Scott!"  exclaimed  poppa,  "I'm  not  a 
crowned  head.     Rise,  Miss  Diomede." 

Removing  his  cigar,  he  assisted  the  young  lady  to 
her  feet  and  led  her  to  a  sofa  at  the  other  end  of  the 
room,  where,  as  they  turned  over  the  photograplis  to- 
gether, I  heard  him  ask  her  if  she  ol)jected  to  tobacco. 

"You  may  go,"  said  momma  to  the  'iiterpreter, 
"  and  explain  the  scenes.  ^h\  Wick  will  enjoy  them 
much  more  if  he  understands  them."  The  freedom  from 
conventional  restraint  Avhich  characterises  American 
society  very  seldom  extends  to  married  gentlemen. 

AVe  had  to  wait  twenty  minutes  for  the  other  party, 
on  account  of  their  British  objection  to  anybody's  dust. 
Even  Mr.  Mafferton  looked  quelled  when  they  arrived, 
and  Isabel  quite  abject,  while  INIrs.  Portheris  wore  that 
air  of  justification  which  no  circumstance  could  inqiair, 
which  was  particularly  her  own.  She  would  not  sit 
down.  "  It  gives  these  people  a  claim  on  you,"  she 
said.  "  I  did  not  come  here  to  run  up  an  hotel  l)ill,  but 
to  see  Pompeii.  Pompeii  I  demand  to  see."  The  play- 
ers on  the  flute  and  mandolin  looked  at  Mrs.  Portheris 
consideringly  and  then  strolled  away,  and  the  guide, 
with  a  sorrowful  glance  at  the  landlady,  put  on  his  hat. 
"  I  can  explain  you  everything,"  he  said  with  an  in- 
flection that  placed  the  responsibility  for  remaining  in 
ignorance  upon  our  own  heads,  but  Mrs.  Portheris  waved 
him  away  with  her  fan.    "  No,"  she  said.     "  I  beg  that 


J 


. 


sit 
she 
but 
|)lav- 
leris 
lide, 
Ihat. 
in- 
in 
ived 
that 


"  I'm  not  a  crowned  head  I  " 


I 


1 


:TWWVJ*(tW»'..;",1,»lll'i^l 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION.  200 

this  man  shall  not  be  allowed  to  inflict  himself  upon  our 
party.  I  particularly  desire  to  form  my  own  im[)ression 
of  the  historic  city,  that  city  that  did  so  much  for  the 
reputation  of  Sir  Henry  Bulwer  Lytton.  liesides,  these 
people  mount  up  ridiculously,  and  with  servants  at  home 
on  half  wages,  and  C^onsols  in  the  state  tluy  are,  one  is 
really  compelled  to  economise." 

It  was  difficult  to  protest  against  Mrs.  Portheris's 
regulations,  and  impossible  to  contravene  them,  so  I 
have  nothing  to  report  of  that  guide  but  his  card,  which 
bore  the  name  "  Antonio  Plicco,"  and  his  memory, 
which  is  a  blank. 

There  was  an  ascent,  and  ^Irs.  Portheris  mounted 
it  proudly.  I  pointed  out  to  poppa  half-way  uj)  that 
his  esteemed  relative  hadn't  turned  a  hair,  but  he  was 
inclined  to  be  incredulous:  said  vou  couldn't  tell  what 
was  going  on  in  the  Department  of  the  Interior.  The 
Senator  often  uses  a  political  reference  to  carry  him 
over,  a  delicate  allusion.  Flowering  shrubs  and  bushes 
lined  the  path  we  climbed,  silent  in  the  sunshine,  dustily 
decorative,  and  at  the  top  the  turning  of  a  key  let  us  into 
a  strange  place.  Always  a  strange  place,  however  often 
the  guide-books  beat  their  iterations  upon  it,  a  place  that 
leaps  at  imagination,  peering  into  other  days  through 
the  mists  that  lie  between,  and  blinds  it  with  a  rush  of 
light — the  place  where  they  have  gathered  together 
wdiat  was  left  of  the  dead  Pompeiians  and  their  world. 
There  they  lay  before  us  for  our  wonderment  as  they 
ran,  and  tripped,  and  struggled,  and  fell  in  the  night  of 


210  A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

tliat  (lay  wlicii  they  and  tlu;  ^ods  together  were  over- 
wlieliiied,  and  tliev  died  as  tliev  tlioiii>;lit  in  the  end  of 
time.  And  througli  an  open  d<jor  Vesuvius  sent  up  its 
eternal  gentle  woolly  eurl  again  the  daylight  sky,  and 
vineyards  throve,  and  birds  sang,  and  we,  who  had  sur- 
vived the  gods,  came  curious  to  look.  The  figures  lay  in 
glass  cases,  and  Dicky  remarked,  with  unusual  serious- 
ness, that  it  was  like  a  dead-house. 

^'  Except,"  said  poppa,  "  that  in  this  mortuary  there 
isn't  ever  going  to  be  anybody  who  can  identify  the  re- 
mains. When  you  come  to  think  of  it — that's  kind  of 
hard." 

'^  ^o  chance  of  Christian  burial  once  you  get  into  a 
museum,"  said  Dick  with  solicitude. 

"  I  should  like,"  remarked  Mrs.  Portheris,  polishing 
her  piiice  nez  to  get  a  better  view  of  a  mother  and 
daughter  h'ing  on  their  faces.  "  I  should  like  to  see 
the  clergyman  avIio  would  attempt  it.  These  people 
were  heathen,  and  richly  deserved  their  fate.    Richly!  '* 

Momma  looked  at  her  husband's  Aunt  Caroline  with 
indignant  scorn.  "  Do  you  really  think  so?  "  she  asked, 
but  we  could  all  see  that  her  w^ords  were  a  very  inade- 
quate expression  for  her  emotions.  ^Irs.  Portheris  drew 
all  the  guns  of  her  orthodoxy  into  line  for  battle.     "  I 

am  surprised "  she  began,  and  then  the  Senator 

politely  but  firmly  interfered. 

"  Ladies,"  he  said,  "  'De  mortuis  nisi  honum,^  which 
is  to  say  it  isn't  customary  to  slang  corpses,  especially, 
as  you  may  say,  in  their  presence.     I  guess  we  can  all 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


211 


ivl" 


"be  thankful,  anyhow,  that  heatlicn  nowadays  have  <j,<)t 
a  cooler  earth  to  live  on,"  and  that  for  tlie  moment  was 
the  end  of  it,  hut  monnna  still  gazed  connniscratingly 
at  the  figures,  with  a  suspicious  tendency  to  look  for 
her  handkerchief. 

''  It's  too  terrible,"  she  said.  "  We  can  actually  sec 
their  feed u res. ^^ 

*'  Don't  let  them  get  on  your  nerves,  Augusta,"  sug- 
gested poppa. 

"  I  won't  if  I  can  help  it.  But  when  you  see  their 
clothes  and  their  hair  and  realise " 

"  It  hapi)ened  over  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  my 
dear,  and  most  of  them  got  away." 

"  That  didn't  make  it  anv  better  for  those  who  are 
now  before  us,"  and  momma  used  her  handkerchief 
threateningly,  though  it  was  only  in  connection  with  her 
nose. 

"  Well  now,  Augusta,  I  hate  to  destroy  an  illusion 
like  that,  because  they're  not  to  be  bought  with  money, 
but  since  you're  determined  to  work  yourself  up  over 
these  unfortunates,  I've  got  to  expose  them  to  you. 
They're  not  the  genuine  remains  you  take  them  for. 
Thev're  mere  worthless  imitations." 

"  Alexander,"  said  momma  suspiciously,  ^'  you  never 
hesitate  to  tamper  with  the  truth  if  you  think  it  will 
make  me  any  more  comfortable.     I  don't  believe  you." 

"All  right,"  returned  the  Senator;  "when  we  get 
home  you  ask  Bramley.  It  was  Bramley  that  put  me 
on   to   it.      Whenever   one   of   those   Pompeii    fellows 


212 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


(ln)})p('(l,  the  aslios  kind  of  caked  over  liini,  and  In  tlio 
eoiirse  of  time  there  was  a  hole  where  he  had  been. 
See?  And  what  you're  looking  at  is  just  a  coUection 
of  those  holes  tilled  up  with  composition  and  then  dug 
out.     Mere  holes!  " 

"  The  illusion  is  dreadfully  perfect,"  sighed  mom- 
ma. "  Fancy  dying  like  a  baked  potato  in  hot  ashes! 
Somehow,  Alexander,  I  don't  seem  able  to  get  over  it," 
and  momma  gazed  with  distressed  fascination  at  the 
grim  form  of  the  negro  porter. 

""  We've  got  no  proper  grounds  for  coming  to  that 
conclusion  either,"  replied  jjoppa  iirndy.  "  Just  as 
likely  they  were  suffocated  by  the  gas  that  came  up  out 
of  the  ground." 

"Oh,  if  T  could  think  that!"  momma  exclaimed 
with  relief.  "  l>ut  if  I  find  you've  been  deceiving  me, 
Alexander,  I'll  never  forgive  you.     It's  ioo  solemn!  " 

"  You  ask  l>randey,"  I  heard  the  Senator  reply. 
"  And  now  come  and  tell  me  if  this  loaf  of  bread  some- 
body baked  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty  something 
years  ago  isn't  exactly  the  same  shape  as  the  Xaples 
bakers  are  selling  right  now." 

"  Daughter,"  said  momma  as  she  went,  "  I  hope  you 
are  taking  copious  notes.  This  is  the  wonder  of  wonders 
that  we  behold  to-day."  I  said  I  was,  and  I  wandered 
over  to  where  Mrs.  Portheris  examined  with  jMr.  Maf- 
ferton  an  c^g;  that  was  laid  on  the  last  day  of  Pompeii. 
Mrs.  Portheris  was  asking  ]Mr.  Mafferton,  in  her  most 
impressive  manner,  if  it  was  not  too  wonderful  to  have 


} 


)> 


me, 


)C  YOU 

t. 

londers 
idercd 
\.  :Maf- 
ympeii. 
tr  most 
to  "have 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


213 


positive  i)r()()f  that  fowls  hiid  eggs  then  just  as  they  do 
now;  and  I  made  a  note  of  that  too.  Dicky  and  Isabel 
bemoaned  tlie  fate  of  the  immortal  dog  who  still  bites 
Lis  Hank  in  the  i)ain  extinguished  so  long  ago.  I  hardly 
liked  to  disturl)  them,  but  1  heard  Diekv  sav  as  1  i)assed 
that  he  didn't  mind  mueh  about  the  humans,  thev  had 
their  chanee,  but  this  poor  little  old  tyke  was  tied  up, 
and  that  on  the  part  of  Providence  was  playing  it  low 
down. 

Then  we  all  stejiped  out  into  the  empty  streets  of 
Pompeii  and  Air.  Matferton  read  to  us  impressively, 
from  Alurray,  the  younger  Pliny's  letter  to  Tacitus  de- 
scribing its  great  disaster.  The  Senator  listened  thonght- 
fullv,  for  Plinv  goes  into  all  kinds  of  interesting  details. 
"  I  haven't  much  accpuiintance  with  the  classics,"  said 
he,  as  Mr.  ^Mafferton  finished,  ''  but  it  strikes  me  that 
the  modern  Xew  York  newspa})er  was  the  medium  to  do 
that  man  justice.  It's  the  most  remarkabh;  case  I've 
noticed  of  a  good  reporter  horn  ho  fore  his  timc.''^ 

"  A  terrible  retribution,"  said  Airs.  Portheris,  look- 
ing severely  at  the  Tavern  of  Pluebus,  forever  empty  of 
wine-bibbers.  "  Tfiey  worshi])ped  Jupiter,  I  understand, 
and  other  deities  even  less  res])ectable.  Can  we  wonder 
that  a  volcano  was  sent  to  destroy  them!  One  thing  we 
may  be  qnite  snre  of — if  the  city  had  only  turned  from 
its  wickedness  and  embraced  Christianity,  this  never 
would  have  happened." 

Momma  compressed  her  lips  and  then  relaxed  them 
again  to  say,  "  I  think  that  idea  perfectly  ridiculous." 


214 


A   VOYACiK  OF  COXSOLATIOX. 


T  Hcciitod  l)jittl('  i\\u\  Imii^'  upon  tlic  issue,  but  tlio  Scuta- 
tor  for  the  third  time  interposed. 

"  Why  no,  Augusta,"  lie  said,  "  I  guess  tliat's  a 
Avorkin^  liypothesis  of  Aunt  Caroline's.  Here's  Vesu- 
vius sniokin'  awav  ever  sinee  just  the  same,  and  tliere's 
Naples  witli  a  hishoj)  and  the  relies  of  Saint  Januarius. 
You  can  read  in  your  guide-book  that  whenever  Vesu- 
vius has  looked  as  if  he  meant  ])usiness  for  the  past  few 
hundred  years,  the  people  of  Xaples  have  simply  called 
on  the  hisliop  to  take  out  the  relies  of  Saint  Januarius 
and  walk  'em  round  the  town;  and  that's  alwavs  been 
enough  for  Vesuvius.  Xow  the  Pomi)eii  folks  didn't 
know  a  saint  or  a  bishop  by  sight,  and  Jupiter,  as  Aunt 
Caroline  says,  was  never  properly  (pialified  to  interfere. 
That's  how  it  was,  I  \n'esume.  I  don't  supjiose  the  peo- 
ple of  Xaples  take  much  stoek  in  the  laws  of  nature; 
they  don't  have  to,  with  Januarius  in  a  drawer.  And 
real  estate  keeps  booming  right  along." 

"  You  have  an  extraordinary  way  of  putting  things," 
remarked  Mrs.  Portheris  to  her  nephew.  ''  Very  ex- 
traordinary. But  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  agree  with 
me,"  and  she  looked  as  if  she  did  not  understand  mom- 
ma's acquiescent  smile. 

We  went  our  several  ways  to  see  the  baths,  and  the 
Comic  Theatre,  the  bakehouse  and  the  gymnasium;  and 
I  had  a  little  walk  by  myself , in  the  Street  of  Abundance, 
where  the  little  empty  houses  waited  patiently  on  either 
side  for  those  to  return  who  had  gone  out,  and  the  sun 
lay  full  on  their  floors  of  dusty  mosaic,  and  their  gar- 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


21i 


;«  a 

'esu- 
irius. 

t  few 
-ailed 

uirivis 
[  been 
didn't 
,  Aunt 
erf ere. 
Hi  peo- 
latnre; 
And 

lungs, 
rv  ex- 
[ee  with 
mom- 


dens  where  nothing'  «2:r('\v.  It  sccincd  to  me,  as  it  seems 
to  I'vcrylxxlv,  tiiat  J^oiiipcii  was  not  dead,  l)Ut  aslt't'}), 
and  licr  tints  were  so  clear  and  ^ay  that  iier  (h'canis 
nnglit  he  those  of  a  haUct-iiirh  A  solitary  yellow  dog 
chased  a  lizard  in  the  sun,  and  the  jtehhlis  he  knocked 
about  made  an  ai>sui'dlv  (list\;r))inii'  noise.  IJevond  the 
vague  tinted  rootless  walls  that  stretched  over  the  ))leas- 
ant  little  j)eninsula,  the  blue  sea  ripple*!  tenderly,  re- 
mend)ering  much  delight,  and  the  place  seemed  to  snnle 
in  its  sleei).      It  was  easv  to  understand   whv  Cicero 

it/  * 

chose  to  have  his  villa  in  the  uudst  of  such  lightdieart- 
edness,  and  why  tlie  gods,  perhai)s,  decided  that  they 
liad  lent  too  much  laughter  to  Pompeii.  I  made  free 
of  the  hospitality  of  (.'ornelius  Rufus  and  sat  for  a  while 
in  his  c.vcdra,  where  he  himself,  in  marble  on  a  little 
pillar  in  the  nuddle  of  the  room,  made  me  as  welcome  as 
if  I  had  been  a  client  or  a  neighbour.  AVe  cons 'dered 
each  other  across  the  centuries,  making  mutual  alhjw- 
ances,  and  spent  the  most  sociable  half-hour.  I  take 
a  personal  interest  in  the  city's  disaster  now — it  over- 
whelmed one  of  mv  friends. 


land  the 
Im;  and 
Indance, 
In  either 
I  the  sun 
leir  gar- 


'  "■"     — I 


CIIAPTEK  XVII. 

Ox  the  lAiiigarno  in  Florciico,  in  tlic  cool  of  the 
evening,  we  walked  together,  the  Senator,  nionnna, 
Dicky,  and  I.  Dicky  radiated  depression,  if  such  a 
thing  is  atniosplierically  possible;  we  all  moved  in  it. 
Mr.  Dod  had  been  banished  from  the  Portheris  party, 
and  he  groaned  over  the  reflection  that  it  was  his  own 
fault.  At  Pompeii  I  had  exerted  myself  in  his  interest 
to  such  an  extent  that  Mr.  MatFerton  detached  himself 
from  Mrs.  Portheris  and  attached  himself  to  momma 
for  the  drive  home.  Little  did  I  realise  that  one  could 
be  too  agreeable  in  a  good  cause.  Dicky  insinuated  him- 
self with  ditiiculty  into  Mr.  MalTerton's  vacant  place 
opposite  Mrs.  Portheris,  and  even  before  the  carriages 
started  I  saw  that  he  was  going  to  have  a  bad  time.  His 
own  version  of  the  experience  was  painful  in  the  ex- 
treme, and  he  represented  the  climax  as  having  occurred 
just  as  they  arrived  at  the  hotel.  The  unfortunate  youth 
must  have  been  goaded  to  his  fate,  for  his  general  atti- 
tude toward  matters  of  orthodoxy  was  most  discreet. 

"  There  is  something  Bihlical,^^  said  ^Ers.  Portheris 
(so  Dicky  related),  "  that  those  Pompeiian  remains  re- 
mind me  of,  and  I  cannot  think  what  it  is." 

216 


i 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


217 


place 
triages 
His 
lie  ex- 
;urred 
youth 
il  atti- 
(ct. 

'tlieris 
lins  re- 


*' Lot's  wife,  inainma?"  said  Isabel. 

^^ Quite  rig'.it,  my  child — what  a  lueinory  you  have! 
That  wreteheJ  woman  who  stopju'd  to  look  hack  at  the 
city  wlieiH?  careless  friends  and  relatives  were  enjoying 
themselves,  indilferent  to  their  coming  fate,  in  direct 
disobedience  to  the  command.  Of  course,  she  turned  to 
salt,  and  these  people  to  ashes,  but  she  must  have  looked 
very  nuicli  like  them  when  the  process  was  com[»leted.'' 

That  was  Dicky's  opportunity  for  restraint  and  sub- 
mission, but  he  seemed  to  have  been  physically  unable 
to  take  it.  lie  rushed,  instead,  blindly  to  perdition. 
"  I  don't  believe  that  yarn,"  he  said. 

There  was  a  moment's  awful  silence,  during  whicli 
Dicky  said  he  counted  his  heart-beats  and  felt  as  if  he 
had  announced  himself  an  atheist  or  a  Jew,  and  then 
his  sentence  fell. 

"  In  that  case,  ^Ir.  Dod,  I  must  infer  that  you  are 
opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  the  coni|)lete  insi)iration  of 
Holy  Writ.  If  you  tlo  not  believe  in  that,  I  shudder  to 
think  of  what  vou  nuiv  not  believe  in.  I  will  sav  no 
more  now,  but  after  dinner  I  will  be  obliged  to  sj)eak 
to  vou  for  a  few  nnnutes,  ])rivatcdv.  Thank  vou,  I  can 
get  out  without  assistance." 

And  after  dinner,  j)rivat(dy,  Dicky  learned  that  ]\trs. 
Portheris  had  for  some  time  been  seriously  considering 
the  effect  of  his,  to  her,  ])ainfully  llipjxint  views,  upon 
the  opening  mind  of  her  daughter — the  child  had  only 
been  out  six  months — and  that  his  distressing  announce- 
ment of  this  morning  left  her  in  no  further  doubt  as  to 


218 


A  VOYAGE  OF  COXSOLATIOX. 


lii 


her  path  of  duty.  She  would  always  endeavour  to  have 
as  kindly  a  recollection  of  him  as  possible,  he  had  really 
been  very  obliging,  but  for  the  j)resent  she  must  ask  hirii 
to  make  some  other  travelling  arrangements.  Cook,  she 
believed,  would  always  change  one's  tickets  less  ten  per 
cent.,  but  she  would  leave  that  to  Dicky.  And  she 
hoped,  she  sincerely  hoped,  that  time  would  improve  his 
views.  When  that  was  accomplished  she  trusted  he 
would  write  and  tell  her,  but  not  before. 

"  And  while  I'm  getting  good  and  ready  to  pass  an 
examination  in  Xoah,  Jonah,  and  Methuselah,"  re- 
marked Dicky  bitterly,  as  we  discussed  the  situation  on 
the  Lungarno  for  the  seventh  time  that  day,  ''  Maffcr- 
ton  sails  in." 

"  AYliy  didn't  you  tell  her  plainly  that  you  wanted 
to  marry  Isabel,  and  would  brook  no  opposition?" 
I  demanded,  for  my  stock  of  sympathy  was  getting 
low. 

*' Xow  that's  a  valuable  suggestion,  isn't  it?"  re- 
tured  Mr.  Dod  with  sarcasm.  "  Good  old  psychological 
moment  that  was,  wasn't  it?  Talk  about  girls  having 
tact!  Besides,  I've  never  told  Isabel  herself  yet,  and 
I'm  not  the  American  to  give  in  to  the  effete  and  decav- 
ing  custom  of  asking  a  girl's  poppa,  or  momma  if  it's  a 
case  of  widow,  first.     Xot  Richard  Dod." 

"  What  on  earth,"  I  exclaimed,  "  have  you  been 
doing  all  this  time?  " 

"  Xow  go  slow,  Mamie,  and  don't  look  at  me  like 
that.     I've  been  trying  to  make  her  acquainted  with 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


211) 


ve 

iiy 

irii 
3lie 
per 
she 
liis 
.  lie 

^s  an 
'  re- 
al ou 
affcr- 

anted 


fi 


lon^ 
etting 


I "  re- 
logical 
liiiving 


jt,  a 


nd 


decay- 
If  it's  a 


been 


ne 


like 
fed  witli 


me — explaining  the  kind  of  fellow  I  am — getting  solid 
with  her.     See  i  " 

"  Showing  her  the  beauties  of  your  character!  ''  I 
exclaimed  derisively. 

"  I  said  something  about  the  defects,  too,"  said 
Dicky  modestly,  ""  though  not  so  much.  And  1  was  get- 
ting on  beautifully,  though  it  isn't  so  easy  with  an  Eng- 
lish girl.  They  don't  seem  to  think  it's  proper  to  analyse 
your  character.     They're  so  maidenly." 

"  And  so  unenterprising,"  1  said,  but  I  said  it  to 
myself. 

"  Isabel  was  actually  beginning  to  lead  up  to  the 
suhject,^^  Dicky  went  on.  "  She  asked  me  the  other 
dav  if  it  was  true  that  all  American  men  were  flirts.    In 

t,' 

another  week  I  should  have  felt  that  she  would  know 
what  was  proposing  to  her." 

"And  you  were  going  to  wait  another  week^" 
"  Well,  a  man  wants  every  advantage,"  said  Dicky 
blandly. 

"  Did  you  explain  to  Isabel  that  you  were  only  join- 
ing our  party  in  the  hope  of  meeting  her  accidentally 


soon  agam 


?" 


*^  What  else,"  asked  he  in  pained  surprise,  "  should 
I  have  joined  it  for?  Xo,  I  didn't;  I  hadn't  the  chance, 
for  one  thing.  You  took  the  first  train  back  to  Rome 
next  morning,  you  know.     She  wasn't  up." 

"  True,"  I  responded.     "  Momma  said  not  another 

hour  of  her  husband's  Aunt  Caroline  would  she  ever 

willingly  endure.     She  said  she  would  spend  her  entire 
15 


220 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


life,  if  necessary,  in  avoiding  the  woman."  But  Dicky 
liad  not  followed  the  drift  of  my  thought. 

I  added  vaguely,  "  I  hope  she  will  understand  it  " 
— I  really  couldn't  be  more  definite — and  bade  Mr.  J)od 
good-night.  lie  held  my  hand  absent-mindedly  for  a 
moment,  and  mentioned  the  effectiveness  of  the  Ponte 
Vecchio  from  that  point  of  view. 

*'  I  didn't  feel  bound  to  change  my  tickets  less  ten 
per  cent.,"  he  said  hopefully,  "  and  we're  sure  to  come 
across  them  early  and  often.  In  the  meantime  you 
might  try  and  soften  me  a  little — about  Lot's  wife." 

Xext  day,  in  the  Ufizzi,  it  was  no  surprise  to  meet 
the  Miss  Binghams.  We  had  a  guilty  consciousness  of 
fellow-citizenship  as  we  recognised  them,  and  did  our 
best  to  look  as  if  two  weeks  were  quite  long  enough  to 
be  forgotten  in,  but  they  seemed  chra'itable  and  forgiv- 
ing on  this  account,  said  they  had  looked  out  for  us 
everywhere,  and  had  we  seen  the  cuttings  in  the  Vati- 
can ? 

"  The  statues,  you  know,"  explained  Miss  Cora 
kindly,  seeing  that  we  did  not  comprehend.  "  Marvel- 
lous— simply  marvellous!  AVe  enjoyed  nothing  so  much 
as  the  marble  dejiartment.  It  takes  it  out  of  you  though 
— we  were  awfully  done  afterwards." 

I  wondered  what  Phidias  would  have  said  to  the 
"  cuttings,"  and  whether  the  ^^liss  Binghams  imagined  it 
a  Briticism.  It  also  occurred  to  me  that  one  should  never 
mix  one's  colloquialisms;  but  that,  of  course,  did  not 
prevent  their  coming  round  with  us.     I  believe  they 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


221 


cky 

it" 
Dod 
or  a 
'onte 

s  ten 
come 

.  you 

J) 

,  meet 
less  of 
id  our 
ng\i  to 

orgiv- 

for  us 
D  Yati- 

Cora 
Marvel- 
o  much 
though 

to  the 
loined  it 
lid  never 

did  not 
3ve  they 


did  it  partly  to  diffuse  tlieir  guide  aiii(mi>;  a  larger  i)arty. 
lie  was  hanging,  as  tlii'v  vmiw  up,  npon  ^liss  Cora's 
rehietant  earring,  so  to  speak,  and  slie  was  nieehanically 
saying,  ''  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  "  to  liis  representations.  "  1 
suppose,"  said  she  inadvertently,  "  there  is  no  way  of 
prerf/i/ing  their  giving  one  information,"  and  after  that 
when  she  hospitably  pressed  the  guide  upon  us  we  felt 
at  liberty  to  be  unappreciative. 

I  regret  to  write  it  of  two  maiden  ladies  of  good 
New  York  family,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  world;  but 
the  Miss  Binghams  capitulated  to  Dicky  Dod  with  a 
promptness  and  unanimity  which  would  have  been  very 
bad  for  him  if  nobodv  had  been  there  to  counteract  its 

t, 

effects.  lie  walked  between  them  through  the  vesti- 
bules, absorbing  a  flow  of  tribute  from  each  side  with 
a  con.placency  which  his  recent  trying  experiences  made 
all  the  more  profound.  There  was  always  a  something, 
Miss  Xancv  declared,  about  an  American  who  had  made 
his  home  in  England — you  could  always  tell.  "  In  your 
case,  ]\Ir.  Dod,  there  is  an  association  of  Bond  Street.  T 
can't  describe  it,  but  it  is  there.  I  hope  you  don't  mind 
my  saying  so." 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Dicky,  "  I  guess  it's  my  taih)r.  lie 
lives  in  Bond  Street;  "  but  this  was  artless  and  not 
ironical,  ^liss  Cora  went  further.  "  I  should  have 
taken  ^Ir.  Dod  for  an  Englishman,"  she  said,  at  which 
the  miscalculated  Mr.  Dod  looked  alarmed. 

"  Is  that  so?"  he  responded.  "  Then  I'll  book  my 
passage  back  at  once.     I've  been  over  there  too  long. 


I,  !     I 


222  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

You  see  I've  been  kind  of  obliged  to  stay  for  reasons 
connected  with  the  firm,  but  you  ladies  can  take  my 
word  for  it  that  when  you  get  through  this  sort  of 
ridiculous  veneer  I've  picked  up  you'll  find  a  regular 
all-wool-and-a-yard-wide  city-of-Chicago  American,  and 
I'm  bound  to  ask  you  not  to  forget  it.  This  English 
way  of  talking  is  a  thing  that  grows  on  a  fellow  uncon- 
sciously, don't  you  know.  It  wears  off  when  you  get 
home." 

At  which  Miss  Cora  and  Miss  ^ancy  looked  at  each 
other  smilingly  and  repeated  ''  Don't  you  know  "  in  de- 
risive echo,  and  we  all  felt  that  our  young  friend  had 
been  too  modest  about  his  acquirements. 

"  But  we  mustn't  neglect  our  old  masters,"  cried 
Miss  Xancy  as  those  of  the  first  corridor  began  to  slip 
past  us  on  the  walls,  w4tli  no  desire  to  interrupt.  "  AVliat 
do  you  think  of  this  Greek  Byzantine  style,  Mr.  Wick? 
Somehow  it  doesn't  seem  to  appeal  to  me,  though  wheth- 
er it's  the  flatness — or  wdiat " 

"  It  is  flat,  certainly,"  agreed  the  Senator,  "  but 
that's  a  very  popular  style  of  angel  for  Christmas  cards 
— the  more  expensive  kinds.  Here,  I  suppose,  we  get 
the  original." 

"  That  is  Tuscan  school,  sir — madam,"  put  in  the 
guide,  "  and  not  angel — Saint  Cecilia.  Fourteen  cen- 
tury, but  we  do  not  know  that  artiss  his  name.  In  the 
book  you  will  see  Cimabue,  but  it  is  not  Cimabue — 
unknown  artiss." 

*'  Dear  me !  "  cried  momma.    "  St.  Cecilia,  of  course. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


223 


reasons 
ake  my 
sort  of  . 
regular 
an,  and 
English 
7  uncon- 
you  get 

L  at  each 
"  in  de- 
end  had 

3,"  cried 

n  to  slip 

''  What 

.  Wick? 

1  wheth- 

)r,  "but 
has  cards 
L  we  get 

It  in  the 
leen  cen- 
In  the 
labue — 

If  course. 


Don't    you    remember    her    expression — in    the    Cata- 
combs? " 

"  She's  sweet,  ahvavs  and  evorvwhere,"  said  ^Vliss 
Cora,  as  we  moved  on,  leaving  the  guide  explaining  St. 
Cecilia  with  his  hands  behind  his  back.  ''  And  vou  did 
go  to  Capri  after  all?  Now  I  wonder,  Xancy,  if  they 
had  our  experience  about  the  oysters?" 

"  A  horrid  little  man!  "  cried  momma. 

"  Who  showed  you  the  way  to  the  steamer " 

"  And  hung  around  doing  things  the  whole  endur- 
ing time,"  continued  my  parent,  as  Mark  Antony's 
daughter  turned  her  head  aside,  and  Drusus,  the  brother 
of  Tiberius,  frowned  upon  our  passing. 

"He  must  have  been  our  man!"  cried  both  the 
Misses  Bingham,  with  excitement. 

"  In  the  manner  of  Taddeo  Gaddi,"  interrupted  the 
guide,  surprising  us  on  the  flank  with  a  Holy  Family. 

"  All  right,"  said  the  Senator.  "  Well,  this  fellow 
proposed  to  bring  our  party  oysters  on  the  steamer,  and 
we  took  him,  of  course,  for  the  steward's  tout '* 

"  Exactly  what  we  thought." 

"  Since  you  are  going  to  tell  the  story,  Alexander, 
I  may  remind  you  that  he  said  they  were  the  best  in  the 
world,"  remarked  momma,  with  several  degrees  of  frost. 

"  My  dear,  the  anecdote  is  yours.  But  you  remem- 
ber  I  told  him  they  wouldn't  be  in  it  with  Blue  Points." 

"  Now  ivhat,^^  exclaimed  Miss  Nancy,  with  excite- 
ment, "  did  he  ask  you  for  them?  " 

Three  francs  a  head,  Nancy,  \vasn't  it,  Mrs.  Wick? 


u 


;r^ 


iltpwpwp;  WI^P  »tW^— WW 


224 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


And  you  gave  the  order,  and  the  man  disappeared. 
And  you  thought  he'd  gone  to  get  them;  at  least,  we 
did.  Xancy  here  had  perfect  confidence  in  him.  She 
said  he  had  such  dog-like  eyes,  and  we  were  both  per- 
fectly certain  they  would  be  served  when  the  steamer 

stopped  at  the  Blue  Grotto "     Miss  Cora  paused  to 

smile. 

"  But  they  weren't,"  suggested  momma  feebly. 

"  Xo,  indeed,  and  hadn't  the  slightest  intention  of 
being."  Miss  Xancy  took  up  the  tale.  "  Xot  until  we 
were  taking  off  our  gloves  in  the  hotel  verandah,  and 
making  up  our  minds  to  a  good  hot  lunch,  did  those 
oysters  appear — exactly  half  a  dozen,  and  bread  and 
butter  extra!  And  we  couldn't  say  we  hadn't  ordered 
them.  And  the  lunch  was  only  two  francs  fifty,  complet. 
But  we  felt  we  ought  to  content  ourselves  with  the 
oysters,  though,  of  course,  you  wouldn't  with  gentle- 
men in  your  party.  Xow,  what  course  did  you  pursue, 
Mrs.  Wick?" 

"  Really,"  said  momma  distantly,  "  I  don't  remem- 
ber. I  believe  we  had  enough  to  eat.  Surely  that  is 
little  Moses  being  taken  from  the  bulrushes!  How  it 
adds  to  one's  interest  to  recognise  the  subject." 

"  By  B.  Luti,"  responded  Miss  Xancy.  "  I  hope  he 
isn't  very  well  knowm,  for  I  never  heard  of  him  before. 
Xow,  there's  a  Domenichino;  I  can  tell  it  from  here. 
I  do  love  Domenichino,  don't  you  ?  " 

I  suppose  the  Senator  knew  that  momma  didn't  love 
Domenichino,  and  would  possibly  be  at  a  loss  to  say 


f , 


)peared. 
jast,  we 
u.  She 
otli  per- 
steamcr 
aused  to 

jly. 

ntion  of 
until  we 
:lali,  and 
lid  those 
L-ead  and 
t  ordered 
compht. 
with  the 
gentle- 
\i  pursue, 

remem- 
y  that  is 
How  it 

I  hope  he 
m  before, 
om  here. 

idn't  love 
iss  to  say 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


225 


whj^;  at  all  events,  he  remarked  that,  talking  of  Capri, 
he  hoped  the  Miss  Binghanis  had  not  felt  as  badly  about 
inconveniencing  the  donkeys  that  took  them  t(>  the  top 
of  the  cliff  as  momma  had.  ''  Mrs.  Wick,"  he  informed 
them,  "  rode  an  ass  by  the  name  of  Michael  Angelo,  per- 
fectly accustomed  to  the  climate,  and,  do  you  believe 
it,  she  held  her  parasol  over  that  animal's  head  the 
whole  wav."  At  which  evervbodv  laughed,  and  mom- 
ma,  invested  with  an  original  and  amiable  weakness, 
was  appeased. 

"  Of  Michelangelo  we  have  not  here  much,"  said  the 
guide  patiently.  ''  Drawings  yes,  and  one  holy  Family 
— magnificent!     But  all  in  another  room  wich " 

''  Xow  what  Bramlev  said  about  the  T'fizzi  was  this," 
continued  the  Senator.  "  '  You'll  see  on  those  walls,' 
he  said,  '  the  best  picture  show  in  the  world,  both  for 
pedigree  and  quality  of  goods  displayed.  I'd  go  as  far 
as  to  say  they're  all  worth  looking  at,  even  those  that 
have  been  presented  to  the  institution.  But  don't  you 
look  at  them,'  Bramley  said,  '  as  a  whole.  You  keep 
all  your  absorbing  power  for  one  apartment,'  he  said — 
'  the  Tribune.  You'll  want  it.'  Bramley  gave  mc  to 
understand  that  it  wasn't  any  use  he  didn't  profess  to 
be  able  to  describe  his  sublimer  emotions,  but  when  ho 
sat  down  in  the  Tribune  he  had  a  sort  of  instinctive  idea 
that  he'd  got  the  cream  of  it — he  didn't  want  to  go  any 
further." 

We  decided,  therefore,  in  spite  of  such  minor  attrac- 
tions as  those  of  Mobe  and  her  daughters,  at  once  to 


^ 


22G 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


achieve  the  Tribune,  feeling,  as  jjoppa  said,  that  it  would 
be  most  unfortunate  to  have  our  admiration  all  used  up 
before  we  reached  it.  The  guide  led  the  way,  and  it 
was  beguiled  with  the  fascinating  experience  of  the  Miss 
Bin^hanis,  who  had  met  Queen  Marguerite  driving  in 
the  Villa  Borghese  at  Home  and  had  received  a  bow 
from  her  Majesty  of  which  nothing  would  ever  be  able 
'to  deprive  them.  "  Of  course  we  drew  up  to  let  her 
pass,"  said  ]\Iiss  Xancy,  ''  and  were  careful  not  to  make 
ourselves  in  any  way  conspicuous,  merely  standing  up  in 
the  carriage  as  an  ordinary  mark  of  respect.  And  she 
looked  charming,  all  in  pink  and  white,  with  a  faded  old. 
maid  of  honour  that  set  her  off  beautifully,  didn't  she, 
Cora?  And  such  a  pretty  smile  she  gave  us — they  say 
she  likes  the  better  class  of  Americans." 

"  Oh,  we've  nothing  to  regret  about  Rome,"  rejoined 
Cora.  *'  Even  Peter's  toe.  I  wouldn't  have  kissed  it 
at  the  time  if  the  guide  hadn't  said  it  was  really  Jupi- 
ter's. I  was  sure  our  dear  vicar  wouldn't  mind  mv  kiss- 
ing  Jupiter's  toe.  But  now  I'm  glad  I  did  it  in  any  case. 
People  always  ask  you  that." 

When  we  arrived  at  the  little  octagonal  treasure 
chamber  ]\Ir.  Dod  and  Miss  Cora  sat  down  together  on 
one  of  the  less  conspicuous  sofas,  and  I  saw  that  Dicky 
was  already  warmed  to  confidence.  Momma  at  once 
gave  up  her  soul  to  the  young  St.  John,  having  had 
an  engraving  of  it  ever  since  she  was  a  little  girl,  and 
the  Senator  w^ent  solemnlv  from  canvas  to  canvas  on 
tip-toe  with  a  mind  equally  open  to  Job  and  the  Forna- 


rn 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


227 


:  would 
iscd  up 

and  it 
lie  Miss 
ving  in 

a  bow 
be  able 
let  her 
o  make 
g  up  in 
Lnd  she 
:ded  old 
n't  she, 
hey  say 

•e  joined 
issed  it 
y  Jupi- 
nv  kiss- 
y  case. 

reasure 
her  on 
Dicky 
it  once 
ng  had 
rl,  and 
vas  on 
Forna- 


rina.  lie  assured  Miss  Xancy  and  me  that  Brandey 
was  perfectly  right  in  thinking  everything  of  the  Trib- 
une, and  with  reference  to  the  Dancing  Fawn,  that  it 
was  worth  a  visit  to  see  Michael  Angclo's  notion  of  exe- 
cuting repairs  to  statuary  alone.  He  gave  the  place  the 
benefit  of  his  most  serious  attention,  pulling  his  beard 
a  good  deal  before  Titian's  Venus  (which  poppa  always 
did  in  connection  with  this  goddess,  however,  entirely 
apart  from  the  merit  of  the  painting)  and  obviously 
making  allowances  for  her  of  ^ledici  on  account  of  her 
great  age.  At  the  end  of  the  hour  we  spent  there  it 
had  the  same  effect  upon  him  as  upon  Colonel  Bram- 
ley,  he  did  not  wish  to  go  any  further;  and  we  parted 
from  the  Miss  Binghams,  who  did.  As  1  said  good-bye 
to  Miss  Cora  she  gave  my  hand  a  subtly  sympathetic 
pressure,  whispered  tenderly,  "  lie's  very  nice,"  and 
roguishly  escaped  before  I  could  ask  who  was,  or  what 
difference  it  made.  Having  thought  it  over,  I  took  the 
first  opportunity  of  inquiring  of  Dicky  how  much  of  his 
private  affairs  he  had  unburdened  to  Miss  Cora.  "  Oh," 
said  he,  "  hardly  anything.  She  knows  a  former  young 
lady  friend  of  mine  in  Syracuse — we  still  exchange 
Christmas  cards — and  that  led  me  on  to  say  I  thought 
of  getting  married  this  winter.  Of  course  I  didn't  men- 
tion Isabel." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


Out  of  indulgence  to  Dicky  we  lingered  in  Florence 
three  or  four  days  longer  than  was  at  all  convenient, 
considering,  as  the  Senator  said,  the  amount  of  ground 
we  had  to  cover  l)efore  we  could  conscientiouslv  vecross 
the  Channel.  But  neither  jKipjja  nor  niouima  were  peo- 
ple to  desert  a  fellow-countrynian  in  distress  in  foreign 
parts,  especially  in  view  of  this  one's  pathetic  reliance 
upon  our  sympathy  and  support,  as  a  family.  We  all 
did  our  best  toward  the  distraction  of  what  momma 
called  his  poor  mind,  though  I  cannot  say  that  we  were 
very  successful.  Ilis  poor  mind  seemed  wholly  taken 
up  with  one  anticipative  idea,  and  whatever  failed  to 
minister  to  that  he  hadn't,  as  poppa  sadly  said,  any  use 
for.  The  cloisters  of  San  Marco  had  no  healing  for  his 
spirit,  and  when  \ye  directed  his  attention  to  the  solitary 
painting  on  the  wall  with  which  Fra  Angelico  made  a 
shrine  of  each  of  its  monastic  cubicles  he  merelv  re- 

L 

marked  that  it  was  more  than  you  got  in  most  hotels, 
and  turned  lovlesslv  awav.  Even  the  charred  stick  that 
helped  to  martyr  Savonarola  left  him  cold.  He  said, 
indifferentlv,  that  it  was  onlv  the  natural  result  of  mix- 

ing  up  politics  and  religion,  and  that  certain  Chicago 

228 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


229 


Floroneo 

iivenient, 

f  ground 

V  vecross 

A'crc  poo- 

\  foreign 

reliance 

AVe  all 

momma 

we  were 

Iv  taken 

t. 

'ailed  to 
any  nse 

for  his 
solitary 
made  a 
relv  re- 

hotels, 
ick  that 
le  said, 
of  mix- 

'hicago 


ministers  who  sujiported  Bryan  fn>m  tlie  pulpit  might 
well  take  warning.  Hut  liis  words  were  apatiietic;  he 
did  not  reallv  care  wheth(>r  those  (Miicajio  ministers  went 
to  the  stake  or  not.  We  stood  iiim  het'ore  tiie  hronzo 
gates  of  Ghiherti,  and  walked  him  np  and  down  between 
rows  of  works  in  pielra  dura,  hut  without  any  perma- 
nent effect,  and  when  he  contemj)late<l  tlie  consecrated 
residences  of  (^iniahue  and  Cellini,  we  could  see  that 
his  interest  was  perfunctory,  and  that  out  of  the  corner 
of  his  eye  he  really  considered  passing  fiacres.  I  read 
to  him  aloud  from  "  Romola,"  and  monnna  bought  him 
an  English  and  Italian  washing  book  that  he  might  keep 
a  record  of  his  camicie  and  his  fazzohlti — it  would  be 
so  interesting  afterwards,  she  thought — whil(»  the  Sena- 
tor exerted  himself  in  the  wav  of  cheerful  conversation, 
but  it  was  very  discouraging.  Even  when  we  dined  at 
the  fashionable  open  air  restaurant  in  the  Cascine,  with 
no  less  a  person  than  Ouida,  in  a  fluff  of  grey  hair  and 
black  lace,  at  the  next  table,  and  the  most  distinguished 
gambler  of  the  Italian  aristocracy  presenting  a  narrow 
back  to  us  from  the  other  side,  he  permitted  poppa  to 
compare  the  quality  of  the  beef  fillets  unfavourably 
Mdth  those  of  Xew^  York  in  silence,  and  drank  his  Chi- 
anti  with  a  lack-lustre  eve.  ' 

Towards  the  end  of  the  week,  however,  Dicky  grew 
remorseful.  "  It's  all  very  well,"  he  said  to  me  pri- 
vately, "  for  Mrs.  Wick  to  say  that  she  could  spend  a 
lifetime  in  Florence,  if  the  houses  only  had  a  few  mod- 
em  conveniences.    I  daresay  she  could — and  as  for  your 


TF 


230 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


poppa,  Ijc's  as  patient  as  if  this  wore  a  Washington  hotel 
and  he  had  a  caucus  every  niglit,  but  it's  as  plain  as 
Dante's  nose  that  the  Senator's  dead  sick  of  this  city." 

"  Dicky,"  I  said,  "  that  is  a  reflection  of  your  own 
state  of  mind.  Poppa  is  willing  to  take  as  much  more 
Botticelli  and  Filippo  Lippi  as  it  may  be  necessary  to 
give  him." 

"  Oh,  I  know  he  ivoidd,^^  Dicky  admitted,  "  but  he 
isn't  as  young  as  he  was,  and  I  should  hate  to  feel  I  was 
imjiosing  on  him.  Besides,  I'm  beginning  to  conclude 
that  they've  skipped  Florence." 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  we  departed  for  Venice  next 
day,  tarrying  one  night  at  Bologna.  AVe  had  cut  a  day 
off  Bologna  for  Dicky's  sake,  but  the  Senator  could  not 
be  persuaded  to  sacrifice  it  altogether  on  account  of  its 
well  known  manufacture,  into  the  conditions  of  which 
he  wished  to  inquire.  The  shops,  as  we  drove  to  the 
hotel,  seemed  to  expose  nothing  else  for  sale,  but  poppa 
said  that,  in  spite  of  the  local  consumption,  it  had  cer- 
tainly fallen  off,  and,  as  an  official  representative  of  one 
of  its  great  rivals  in  the  west,  he  naturally  felt  a  com- 
punctious interest  in  the  state  of  the  industry.  The 
hotel  had  a  little  courtyard,  with  an  orange  tree  in  the 
middle  and  palms  in  pots,  and  we  came  down  the  wide 
marble  stairs,  past  the  statues  on  the  landing,  and  the 
paintings  on  the  walls,  to  find  dinner  laid  on  round 
tables  out  there,  I  remember.  A  note  of  momma's 
occurs  here  to  the  effect  that  there  is  a  great  deal  too 
much  fine  art  in  Italian  hotels,  with  a  reference  to  the 


ri 


t-n  tT^^iUMIt^l 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


231 


•n  hotel 
)lain  as 
s  city." 
ur  own 
li  more 
sary  to 

but  he 
;1  I  was 
include 

ce  next 

t  a  day 

ukl  not 

t  of  its 

which 

to  the 

poppa 

ad  cer- 

of  one 

a  com- 

The 

in  the 

e  wide 

id  the 

round 

mma's 

al  too 

to  the 


fa^t  that  the  one  at  Xaples  had  the  whole  of  Pompeii 
painted  on  the  dining  room  walls.  She  considers  this 
practice  embarrassing  to  the  public  mind,  which  has 
no  way  of  knowing  whether  to  admire  these  things  or 
not,  though  personally  we  boldly  decided  to  scorn  them 
all.  This,  however,  has  nothing  to  do  with  i)oppa  and 
the  commercial  traveller.  AVe  knew  he  was  a  com- 
mercial traveller  by  the  way  he  put  his  toothi)ick  in  his 
pocket,  though  poppa  said  afterwards  that  he  was  not 
exceptionally  endowed  for  that  line  of  business.  He 
was  dining  at  our  table,  and  by  his  gratified  manner 
when  we  sat  down,  it  was  plain  that  he  could  speak  Eng- 
lish and  would  be  very  pleased  to  do  so.  Poppa,  know- 
ing that  his  time  was  short,  began  at  once. 

"  You  beh)ng  to  Bologna,  sir?  "  he  inquired  with 
his  first  spoonful  of  soup.  For  some  reason  it  seems  im- 
possible to  address  a  stranger  at  a  tabic  cVhote,  before 
the  soup  takes  the  baldness  off  the  situation. 

The  gentleman  smiled.  ITe  had  a  broad,  open, 
amiable,  red  face,  with  a  short  black  beard  and  a  round 
head  covered  with  thick  hair  in  curls,  beautifully  parted. 
"  I  do  not  think  I  belong,"  he  said;  "  my  house  of  busi- 
ness, it  is  at  Milan,  and  I  am  born  at  Finalmarina.  But 
I  come  much  to  Bologna,  yes." 

"Where  did  you  say  you  were  born?"  asked  the 
Senator. 

"  Finalmarina.    You  did  not  go  to  there,  no?    I  am 


sorry 


)> 


"  It  does  seem  a  pity,"  replied  poppa,  "  but  we've 


232 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


been  obliged  to  pass  a  considerable  number  of  your 
commercial  centres,  sir.  This  city,  1  presume,  has  large 
manufacturing  interests^  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  suppose.  You  'ave  seen  that  San  Pe- 
tronio,  you  cannot  help.  Very  enorm' !  More  big  than 
San  Peter  in  Home.  But  not  complete  since  fourteenth 
century.  In  America  you  'ave  nothing  unfinish,  is  it 
not?" 

"  Far  as  that  goes,"  said  poppa,  "  we  generally  man- 
age to  complete  our  contracts  within  the  year;  as  a  rule, 
I  may  say  within  the  building  season.  But  I  have  seen 
one  or  two  Roman  Catholic  churches  left  with  the  scaf- 
folding hanging  round  the  ceiling  for  a  good  deal  longer, 
the  altar  all  fixed  up  too,  and  public  worship  going  on 
just  as  usual.  It  seems  to  be  a  way  they  have.  AVell, 
sir,  I  knew  Bologna,  by  reputation,  better  than  any  other 
Italian  city,  for  years.  Your  local  manufacture  did  the 
business.  As  a  boy  at  school,  there  was  nothing  I  was 
more  fond  of  for  my  dinner.  Thirty  years  ago,  sir,  the 
interest  was  created  that  brings  me  here  to-day." 

The  commercial  traveller  bowed  with  much  gratifica- 
tion. In  the  meantime  he  had  presented  a  card  to 
momma,  which  informed  her  that  Hi'  do  Bellini  repre- 
sented the  firm  of  Isapetti  and  Co.,  Milan,  Artificial 
Flowers  and  Lace. 

"  Thirty  years,  that  is  a  long  time  to  remember 
Bologna,  I  cannot  say  that  thirty  years  I  remember  Xew 
York.  You  will  not  believe!  "  He  was  obviously  not 
more  than  twenty-five,  so  this  was  vastly  humorous. 


-'t— 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


233 


^'  Twenty  vears,  vcs,  twenty  years  I  will  say  I  And  haye 
you  seen  San  Stefano^  Seyen  eliiirelies  in  one!  Also 
the  most  old.     And  haying  forty  Jerusalem  martvrs." 

"  Forty  would  go  a  long-  way  in  relics,"  the  Senator 
obseryed  with  discouragement,  "  but  my  remarks  had 
reference  to  the  Bologna  sausage,  sir." 

"  Sausage — ah!  mortadclla — yes  they  make  here  I 
belieye."  Mr.  Bellini  held  up  his  knife  and  fork  to 
enable  his  plate  to  be  changed  and  looked  darkly  at  the 
succeeding  course.  "  But  eyery  Italian  cannot  like  that 
dish.  I  eat  him  neyer.  You  will  not  find  in  this  hotel 
no."  His  manner  indicated  a  personal  hostility  to  the 
Bologna  sausage,  but  the  Senator  did  not  seem  to  no- 
tice it. 

''  You  don't  say  so!  Local  consumption  going  off 
too,  ohi     Xow  how  do  you  explain  that^" 

Mr.  Bellini  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  It  is  nuich 
eat  by  the  }){)or  people.  They  will  always  haye  that 
morfadeUa !  " 

"  That  looks,"  said  the  Senator  thougiitfully,  "  like 
the  production  of  an  inferior  article.  But  not  neces- 
sarily, not  necessarily,  of  course." 

"  Bologna  it  is  yery  ecclesiastic.^^  ^Iv.  Bellini  ad- 
dressed my  other  parent,  recoyering  a  smile.  "  We  haye 
produced  here  six  popes.     It  is  the  fame  of  Bologna." 

"  You  seem  to  think  a  gi'eat  deal  of  ])rodncing  popes 
in  Italy,"  momma  replied  coldly.  ''  I  should  consider 
it  a  terrible  responsibility." 

"  Xow  do  you  suppose,"  said  poppa  confidentially, 


234 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  that  the  idea  of  trichinosis  had  anything  to  do  with 
slackening  the  demand?" 

Mr.  Bellini  threw  his  head  back,  and  passionately 
replaced  a  section  of  biscuit  and  cheese  in  the  middle  of 
his  plate. 

"I  know  nossing,  any  more  than  you!  Why  you 
speak  me  always  that  Bologna  sausage!  Pazienza! 
AVhat  is  it  that  sausage  to  make  the  agreeable  conversa- 
tion! '' 

"  Sir,"  exclaimed  the  Senator  with  astonishment  and 
equal  heat,  "  you  don't  seem  to  be  aware  of  it,  but  at 
one  time  the  Bologna  sausage  ruled  the  world !  " 

Mr.  Bellini,  however,  could  evidently  not  trust  him- 
self to  discuss  the  matter  further.  He  rose  precipitately 
with  an  outraged,  impersonal  bow,  and  left  the  table, 
abandoning  his  biscuit  and  cheese,  his  half  finished 
bottle  of  Kudesheimer  and  the  figs  that  were  to  follow, 
with  the  indifference  of  a  lofty  nature. 

"  I'm  sorry  I  spoiled  his  dinner,"  said  poppa  with 
concern,  "  but  if  a  Bologna  man  can't  talk  about  Bo- 
logna sausages,  what  can  he  talk  about?  " 

It  made  the  Senator  reticent,  though,  as  to  sausages 
of  any  kind,  with  the  other  commercial  traveller — the 
hotel  was  full  of  them,  and  we  found  it  very  entertain- 
ing after  the  barren  dining  rooms  of  southern  Italy — 
with  whom  we  breakfasted.  He  spoke  to  this  one  ex- 
clusively about  the  architectural  and  historic  features 
of  the  city,  in  a  manner  which  forbade  any  approach 
to  gastronomic  themes,  and  while  the  second  commercial 


"m 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


235 


do  with 

sionately 
niddle  of 

Vhy  you 
^azienza! 
conversa- 

ment  and 
it,  but  at 

ru3t  liim- 
cipitatoly 
he  table, 
finished 
0  follow, 

ipa  with 
3out  Bo- 
sausages 
or — the 
ntertain- 
Italy— - 
one  ex- 
features 
pproach 
imercial 


traveller  regarded  him  with  great  respect,  it  must  be 
confessed  that  the  conversation  languished.  Dicky 
might  have  helped  us  out,  but  Dicky  was  following  his 
usual  custom  of  having  rooms  in  one  hotel  and  cover- 
ing as  many  others  as  possible  with  his  meals,  in  the 
hope  of  an  accidental  meeting.  This  was  excellent  as 
a  distraction  for  his  mind,  but  since  it  occasionally  led 
him  into  three  dejeuners  and  two  dinners,  rather  bad, 
we  feared,  for  other  parts  of  him.  He  had  confi(kxl  his 
design  to  me;  he  intended,  on  meeting  Isabel's  eye,  to 
turn  very  pale,  abruptly  terminate  his  repast,  ask  for  his 
hat  and  stick,  and  walk  out  with  conspicuous  agitation. 
As  to  the  course  he  meant  to  pursue  afterwards  he  was 
vague;  the  great  thing  was  to  make  an  impression  upon 
Isabel.  We  differed  about  the  nature  of  the  impression. 
Dicky  took  it  for  granted  that  she  would  be  profoundly 
affected,  but  he  made  no  allowance  for  the  way  in  which 
maternal  vigilance  like  that  of  Mrs.  Portheris  can  dis- 
courage the  imagination. 

Poppa  made  two  further  attempts  to  inform  himself 
upon  the  leading  manufacturing  interest  of  Bologna. 
He  inquired  of  the  padrone,  who  was  pleased  to  hear 
that  Bologna  had  a  leading  manufacturing  interest,  and 
when  my  parent  asked  where  he  could  see  the  process, 
pointed  out  several  shops  in  the  Piazza  llaggiore.  One 
of  these  the  Senator  visited,  note-book  in  hand,  and  was 
shown  with  great  alacrity  every  variety  of  mortadella, 
from  delicacies  the  size  of  a  finger  to  mottled  concep- 
tions as  thick  as  a  small  barrel.  He  found  a  difficulty 
16 


236 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


in  cxphiining,  however,  even  with  an  Italian  phrase 
book,  that  it  was  the  manufacture  only  about  which  he 
was  curious,  and  that,  admirable  as  the  result  might  be, 
he  did  not  wish  to  buy  any  of  it.  When  the  latter  fact 
finally  made  itself  plain,  the  proprietor  became  truculent 
and  gave  us,  althoui;h  he  spoke  no  English,  so  vivid 
an  idea  of  the  inconsistency  of  our  presence  in  his  prem- 
ises, that  we  retired  in  all  the  irritation  of  the  well- 
meaning  and  misunderstood.  The  Senator,  however, 
who  had  absolute  confidence  in  his  phrase  book,  saw  a 
deeper  significance  in  the  remarkable  unwillingness  of 
the  people  of  Bologna  to  expatiate  upon  the  feature 
which  had  given  them  fame.  "  The  fact  is,"  said  he 
gloomily,  restoring  his  note-book  to  his  inside  pocket  as 
we  entered  the  terra-cotta  doorway  of  St.  Catarina, 
"  they're  not  anxious  to  let  a  stranger  into  the  know  of 
it."  And  this  conviction  remaining  with  him,  still  in- 
spires the  Senator  with  a  contemptuous  pity  for  the 
porcine  methods  of  a  people  who  refuse  to  submit  them 
to  the  light  of  day  and  the  observation  of  the  world  at 
large. 


1   phrase 
,vhich  he 
[light  be, 
itter  fact 
tnifulent 
so  vivid 
bis  prcin- 
thc  well- 
however, 
)k,  saw  a 
iigiiess  of 
e  feature 
"  said  he 
pocket  as 
Catarina, 
know  of 
,  still  in- 
fer the 
unit  them 
world  at 


CILVrTEK  XIX. 

So  far,  momma  said  she  had  every  reason  to  be 
pleased  with  the  effect  on  her  mind.  About  the  Sena- 
tor's slie  would  not  commit  herself,  beyond  saying  that 
we  had  a  great  deal  to  be  thankful  for  in  that  his  health 
hadn't  suffered,  in  spite  of  the  indigestibility  of  that 
eternal  French  twist  and  honey  that  you  were  obliged 
on  the  Continent  to  begin  the  day  with.  She  hoped, 
1  think,  that  the  Senator  had  absorbed  other  things 
beside  the  French  twist  equally  unconsciously,  with 
beneficial  results  that  would  appear  later.  He  said  him- 
self that  it  was  well  worth  anybody's  while  to  make  the 
trip,  if  only  in  order  to  be  better  satisfied  with  America 
for  the  rest  of  his  life,  but  why  peo^de  belonging  to  the 
United  States  and  the  nineteenth  century  should  want 
to  spend  whole  summers  in  the  Middle  Ages  he  failed  to 
understand.  Both  my  parents,  however,  looked  forward 
to  Venice  with  enthusiasm.  Momma  expected  it  to  be 
the  realization  of  all  her  dreams,  and  poppa  decided 
that  it  nnist,  at  all  events,  be  unique.  It  couldn't  have 
any  Arno  or  any  Campagna  in  the  nature  of  things — 
that  would  be  a  change — and  it  was  not  possible  to  the 

human   mind,   however  sophisticated,   with   a  livelong 

237 


!P 


238 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


experience  of  street  cars  and  lierdics,  to  stroll  np  and 
take  a  seat  in  a  gondola  and  know  exactly  what  would 
happen,  where  the  fare-box  was  and  everything,  and 
whether  they  took  Swiss  silver,  and  if  a  gentleman  in  a 
crowded  gondola  was  expected  to  give  up  his  seat  to  a 
lady  and  stand.  Poppa,  as  a  stranger  and  unaccustomed 
to  the  motion,  hoped  this  would  not  be  the  case,  but  I 
knew  him  well  enough  to  predict  tliat  if  it  were  so  he 
would  vindicate  American  gallantry  at  all  risks. 

Thus  it  was  that,  from  the  moment  momma  put  her 
head  out  of  the  car  window,  after  Mestre,  and  exclaimed, 
"  It's  getting  wateryer  and  wateryer,"  Venice  was  a 
source  of  the  completest  joy  and  satisfaction  to  both  my 
parents.  Dicky  and  I  took  it  with  the  more  moderate 
appreciation  natural  to  our  years,  but  it  gave  us  the 
greatest  pleasure  to  watch  the  simple  and  unrestrained 
delight  of  momma  and  poppa,  and  to  revert,  as  it  were, 
in  their  experience,  to  what  our  own  enjoyment  might 
have  been  had  we  been  born  when  they  were.  "  Xo 
express  agents,  no  delivery  carts,  no  baggage  checks," 
murmured  poppa,  as  our  trunks  glided  up  to  the  hotel 
steps,  "  but  it  gets  there  all  the  same."  This  was  the 
keynote  of  his  admiration — everything  got  there  all  the 
same.  The  surprise  of  it  was  repeated  every  time  any- 
thing got  there,  and  was  only  dashed  once  when  we  saw 
brown-paper  parcels  being  delivered  by  a  boy  at  the 
back  door  of  the  Palazzo  Balbi,  who  had  evidently 
walked  all  the  way.  The  Senator  commented  upon  that 
boy  and  his  groceries  as  an  inconsistency,  and  there- 


f 


m 


^ 


lip  and 

it  would 
ing,  and 
iian  in  a 
5cat  to  a 
ustomod 
;e,  but  I 
re  so  he 

put  lier 
claimed, 
B  was  a 
both  my 
noderate 
!  us  the 
strained 
it  were, 
;  might 
"  Xo 
checks," 
le  hotel 
was  the 

all  the 
no  any- 
wo  saw 

at  the 

idently 
on  that 

there- 


I 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


239 


after  carefully  closed  his  eyes  to  the  fact  that  even  our 
own  hotel,  which  faced  upon  the  (irand  Canal,  had  com- 
munications to  the  rear  by  which  its  guests  could  ex- 
2)lore  a  large  j)art  of  commercial  Venice  without  going 
ill  a  gondola  at  all.  The  canals  were  the  only  highways 
he  would  recognise,  and  he  went  three  times  to  St. 
Maria  della  Salute,  which  was  immediately  opposite, 
for  the  sake  of  crossing  the  street  in  the  Venetian  way. 
Momma  became  really  hopeful  about  the  stimulus  to  his 
imagination;  she  told  him  so.  "  It  appeals  to  you, 
Alexander,"  she  said.  "  Its  poetry  comes  home  to  you 
— you  needn't  deny  it;  "  and  poppa  cordially  admitted 
it.  ''  Yes,"  he  said,  "  Ruskin,  according  to  the  guide- 
book, doesn't  seem  as  if  he  could  say  too  much  about 
this  city,  and  Bramley  was  just  the  same.  They're  both 
right,  and  if  we  were  going  to  be  here  long  enough  I'd 
be  like  that  myself.  There's  something  about  it  that 
makes  you  willing  to  take  a  lot  of  trouble  to  describe  it. 
There's  no  use  saying  it's  the  canals,  or  the  reflections 
in  the  water,  or  the  bridges,  or  the  pigeons,  or  the  gar- 
goyles, or  the  gondolas " 

"  Or  Salviati,  or  Jesurum,"  said  momma,  in  lighter 


vein. 


'  Your  memory,  Augusta,  for  the  names  of  old  mns- 
ters  is  perfectly  wonderful,"  continued  poppa  placidly. 
"  Or  Salviati,  or  Jesurum,  or  what.  But  there's  a  kind 
of  local  spell  about  this  place " 

"  There  are  various  kinds  of  local  smells,"  inter- 
rupted Dicky,  whom  Mrs.  Portheris  still  evaded,  but 


7^ 


210 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


I! 


this  levity  received  no  encouragement  from  the  Senator. 
lie  said  instead  that  he  hadn't  noticed  them  himself. 
For  his  part  he  had  come  to  Venice  to  use  his  eyes,  not 
his  nose;  and  Dicky,  thus  discourtigod,  faded  visibly 
upon  his  stem. 

I  could  see  that  poppa  was  still  strongly  under  the 
influence  of  the  Venetian  sentiment  when  he  invited  me 
to  go  out  in  a  gondola  with  him  after  dinner,  and  point- 
edly neglected  to  suggest  that  either  momma  or  Dicky 
should  come  too.  I  had  a  presentiment  of  his  intenti(m. 
If  I  have  seemed,  thus  far,  to  omit  all  reference  to  Mr. 
Page  in  Boston,  since  we  left  Paris,  it  is,  first,  because 
I  believe  it  is  not  considered  necessary  in  a  book  of  trav- 
els to  account  for  every  half  hour,  and  second,  because 
I  privately  believed  him  to  be  in  correspondence  with 
the  Senator  the  whole  time,  and  hesitated  to  expose  his 
duplicity.  I  had  given  poppa  opportunities  for  confess- 
ing this  clandestine  business,  but  in  his  paternal  wisdom 
he  had  not  taken  them.  I  was  not  prepared,  therefore, 
to  be  very  responsive  when,  from  a  mere  desire  to  in- 
dulge his  sense  of  the  fitness  of  things,  poppa  endeav- 
oured to  probe  my  sentiments  with  regard  to  Mr.  Page 
by  moonlight  on  the  Grand  Canal.  To  begin  with,  I 
wasn't  sure  of  them — so  much  depended  upon  what 
Arthur  had  been  doing;  and  besides,  I  felt  that  the  per- 
fect confidence  which  should  exist  between  father  and 
daughter  had  already  been  a  good  deal  damaged  at  the 
paternal  end.  So  when  poppa  said  that  it  must  seem 
to  me  like  a  dream,  so  much  had  happened  since  the 


! 


nn 


U-i 


0  Senator. 

1  himself. 
1  eyes,  not 
jd  visibly 

under  the 
nvited  nio 
and  point- 
er Dicky 
intention, 
ice  to  Mr. 
t,  because 
•k  of  trav- 
1,  because 
3nce  with 
expose  his 
r  confcss- 
il  wisdom 
therefore, 
lire  to  in- 
a  endeav- 
Mr.  Page 
ti  with,  I 
3on  what 
t  the  per- 
ither  and 
ed  at  the 
lust  seem 
since  the 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


241 


day  momma  and  I  left  Chicago  at  twenty-four  hours' 
notice,  six  weeks  ago,  1  said  no,  for  my  part  I  lijid  felt 
l)retty  wide  awake  all  the  time;  a  person  had  to  be, 
I  ventured  to  add,  with  no  more  time  to  waste  upon 
Southern  Euroi)c  than  we  luid. 

"  You  mean  you've  been  sleeping  pretty  badly,'' 
said  the  Senator  sympathelically. 

"  Where  was  it,"  I  iuipiired,  '^  you  would  give  us 
pounded  crabs  and  cream  for  supper  after  we'd  been  to 
hear  masses  for  the  repose  of  somebody's  soul^  That  was 
a  bad  night,  but  I  don't  think  I've  had  any  others.  On 
the  contrary." 

"  Oh,  well,"  said  poppa,  "  it's  a  good  thing  it  isn't 
undermining  your  constitution,"  but  he  looked  as  if  it 
were  rather  a  disappointment. 

"  The  American  constitution  can  stand  a  lot  of  trans- 
portation," I  remarked.  "  Railways  live  on  that  fact. 
I've  heard  you  say  so  yourself.  Senator." 

Then  there  was  an  interval  during  which  the  onrs 
of  the  gondoliers  dipped  musically,  and  the  moon  made 
a  golden  pathway  to  the  marble  steps  of  the  Palazzo 
Contarina.  Then  poppa  said,  "  I  refer  to  the  object  of 
our  tour." 

"  The  object  of  our  tour  wasn't  to  undermine  my 
constitution,"  I  replied.  "  It  was  to  write  a  book — 
don't  you  remember.  But  it's  some  time  since  you  made 
any  suggestions.  If  you  don't  look  out,  the  author  of 
that  volume  will  practically  be  momma." 

The  Senator  allowed  himself  to  be  diverted.     "  I 


242 


A    VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


think,"  lio  said,  "  you'd  bettor  Icjivo  the  oliaptor  on 
Venice  to  me;  you  can't  juat  talk  anyhow  about  this 
city.  I'll  write  it  one  of  these  nights  before  1  go  to 
bed. 

'^  But  tlie  main  reason,"  he  continued,  "  that  sent 
us  to  i>li«h'  tliis  minute  over  the  canal  svstem  of  the 
Bride  of  the  Adriatic  was  the  necessity  of  bracing  you 
up  after  what  you'd  been  through." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  '^  it's  been  very  successful.  I'm  all 
braced  up.  I'm  glad  we  have  had  such  a  good  excuse 
for  coming."  A  fib  is  sometimes  necessary  to  one's  self- 
respect. 

'^7^•ew^('/"  cried  the  gondolier,  and  we  shaved  past 
the  gondola  of  a  solitary  gentleman  just  leaving  the 
steps  of  the  Hotel  Britannia. 

"  That  was  a  shave!  "  poppa  exclaimed,  and  added 
somewhat  inconsequently,  "  You  might  just  as  well  not 
speak  so  loud. 

"  I've  always  liked  Arty,"  he  continued,  as  we 
glided  on. 

"  So  have  I,"  I  returned  cordially. 

"  He's  in  many  ways  a  lovely  fellow,"  said  poppa. 

"  I  guess  he  is,"  said  I. 

"  I  don't  believe,"  ventured  my  parent,  "  that  his 
matrimonial  ideas  have  cooled  down  any." 

"  I  hope  he  may  marry  well,"  I  said.  "  Has  he  de- 
cided on  Frankie  Turner? " 

"  He  has  come  to  no  decision  that  you  don't  know 
about.     Of  course,  I  have  no  desire  to  interfere  where 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


243 


linpter  on 
ibout  this 
e  I  g<j  to 

that  sent 
»ni  of  the 
acing  you 

1.  I'm  all 
•0(1  excuse 
one's  self- 

laved  past 
aving  the 

md  added 
3  well  not 

d,   as   we 


poppa. 

that  his 

^as  he  de- 

n't  know 
re  where 


t 


it  isn't  any  of  my  business,  but  if  you  wish  to  gratify 
your  poj)})a,  daughter,  you  will  obey  him  in  tiiis  matter, 
and  permit  Arthur  once  more  to — to  come  round  even- 
ings as  he  used  to.  He  is  a  young  man  of  moderate  in- 
come, but  a  very  level  head,  and  it  is  tiie  wish  of  my 
heart  to  see  you  reconciled." 

"  Sorry  I  can't  oblige  you,  poppa,"  T  said.  I  cer- 
tainly was  not  going  to  have  any  reconciliation  effected 
by  poppa. 

"  You'd  better  just  consider  it,  daughter.  I  don't 
want  to  interfere — but  you  know  my  desire,  my  com- 
mand." 

"  Senator,"  said  I,  "  you  don't  seem  to  realise  that 
it  takes  more  than  a  gondola  to  make  a  paternal  Doge. 
I've  got  to  ask  you  to  remember  that  I  was  born  in 
Chicago.  And  it's  my  bed  time.  Gondolier!  Albergo! 
Andate  presto! " 

"  lie  seems  to  understand  you,"  said  poppa  meekly. 

So  we  dropped  Arthur — dropped  him,  so  to  s})eak, 
into  the  Grand  Canal,  and  I  really  felt  callous  at  the 
time  as  to  whether  he  should  ever  come  up  again. 

But  the  Senator's  joy  in  Venice  found  other  means 
of  expressing  itself.  One  was  an  active  and  disinter- 
ested appeal  to  the  gondoliers  to  be  a  little  less  modern 
in  their  costume.  He  approached  this  subject  through 
the  guide  with  every  gondolier  in  turn,  and  the  smiling 
impassiveness  with  which  his  suggestions  were  received 
still  causes  him  wonder  and  disgust.  ''  1  presume,"  he 
remonstrated,  "  you  think  you  earn  your  living  because 


244 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


1,1 


IP 


tourists  have  got  to  get  from  the  Acciuk'iiiia  to  St. 
Clark's,  and  from  St.  Mark's  to  the  Bridge  of  ISiglis, 
but  that's  only  a  (juarter  of  the  reason.  The  other  tlirec- 
(piarters  is  because  they  like  to  be  rowed  there  in  gon- 
dolas by  the  gondoliers  tliev've  read  alxmt,  and  the  gon- 
(h>liers  i.u'v've  read  about  wore  pro[)er  gondoliering 
elotlies — tliev  didn't   look   like   Kast    River  loafers." 

t 

"  They  are  |)(K>r  men,  these  (jondollcvi,"'  renuirked 
the  gr.i(k'.     ''  Tluy  eannot  afford." 

"  1  am  not  an  infant,  my  friend.  I'm  a  business 
man  from  (^hieago.  It's  a  business  proposition.  Put 
vour  g<nidoli('rs  into  the  styles  they  wore  when  Andrea 
Dandolo  went  I<.()ting  Constantinople,  and  you'll  double 
your  tourist  tralKe  in  fiye  years.  Twice  as  many  people 
wanting  gondolas,  wanting  guides,  wanting  hotel  ac- 
commodation, buying  your  coloured  glass  and  lace 
flounces — why,  Great  Scott!  it  would  pay  the  city  to 
do  the  thing  at  the  public  exi)ense.  Then  you  could 
pass  a  by-law  forbidding  gondoliering  to  be  done  in  any 
style  later  than  the  fifteenth  century.  Pay  you  oyer 
and  oyer  again." 

Po;  i  was  in  earnest,  ho  wanted  it  done,  lie  was 
only  dissuaded  from  taking  more  active  measures  to 
make  his  idea  public  by  the  fact  that  he  couldn't  stay 
to  put  it  through.  He  was  told,  of  course,  how  the 
plain  black  gondola  came  to  be  enforced  through  the 
extravagance  of  the  nobles  who  ruined  themselves  to 
have  s])lendid  ones,  and  how  the  Venetians  scrupled 
to  depart  from  a  historic  mandate,  but  he  considered 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


245 


iiiiii  to  St. 
'  of  Sighs, 
)tlior  tliree- 
jre  in  gon- 
id  tlic  gon- 
>ndolioriiig 
uifcrs." 
remarked 

a  business 
tioii.  Put 
en  Andrea 
u'll  double 
any  people 
:   hotel   ao- 

and  laee 
he  citv  to 
you  could 
mo  iii  any 

you  over 

lie  was 
\isures  to 
kin't  stay 

how  the 
'ough  the 
iselves  to 

seruided 
onsidcred 


this  a  feeble  argument,  probal)ly  per[)etuated  bv  some- 
body who  enjoyed  a  monopo  ,i\  supi)lying  Venice  with 
black  i)aint.  *'  Circumstances  alter  cases,"  he  declared. 
"  If  that  old  Doge  knew  that  the  P.  and  O.  was  going 
to  run  direct  between  Venice  and  Hondtav  evcrv  tort- 
night  this  year,  he'd  tell  you  to  turn  (»ut  yonr  gon.lolas 
silver-gilt!  " 

iSevertheless,  as  I  say,  the  Senator's  views  were 
coldly  received,  witli  one  excejition.  A  highly  i)ic- 
tures(pie  and  intelligent  gondolier,  whom  the  guide 
sought  to  convert  to  a  sense  of  the  anachronism  of  his 
clothes  in  c(mnection  with  his  calling,  j)ronused  that  if 
we  would  give  him  a  deiinite  engagement  for  next  day, 
he  would  appear  suitably  clad.  The  following  morning 
he  awaited  us  with  honest  pride  in  his  Sunday  a])]iarel, 
which  included  violently  checked  trousers,  a  hard  felt 
hat,  and  a  large  ])ink  tie.  The  Senator  paid  him  hur- 
riedly and  handsomely  and  dismissed  him  with  as  little 
injury  to  hi-  feelings  as  was  ])ossible  under  the  circum- 
stances. "  Tell  him,"  said  poppa  to  the  guide,  '"  to  go 
Iiome  and  take  off  those  pants.  And  tell  him,  do  you 
understand,  to  rusJt !  " 

That  same  day,  in  the  afternoon,  T  remend)er,  when 
we  were  disembarking  for  an  ice  at  Florian's,  monnna 
directed  our  attention  to  two  gentlemen  in  an  approach- 
ing gondola.  "  There's  something  about  that  nuin,"  she 
said  impressively,  "I  mean  the  one  in  the  duster,  that 
belongs  to  the  r^ign  of  Louis  Philippe." 

There  is,"  I  responded;  "we  saw  him  last  in  the 


a  rr 


^w 


!^    ! 


I 


nill'li'*: 


246 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


n 


Potit  Trianon.  It's  ^Ir.  Ptibbk'v  and  Mr.  Ilinkson. 
Two  more  Transatlantic  fellow-travellers.  Senator, 
when  we  meet  them  shall  we  greet  them^  " 

The  Senator  had  a  moment  of  self-expostulation. 

"  Well,  no,"  he  said,  "  1  guess  not.  1  don't  suppose 
we  need  feel  obliged  to  keep  up  the  aequaintanee  of 
ei'erij  American  we  come  across  in  Europe.  It  would 
take  us  all  our  time.  J^ut  l\l  like  to  ask  him  what  use 
he  finds  for  a  duster  in  Venice. 

"  How  1  wish  the  Misses  Bingham  could  hear  you,'' 
I  thought,  but  one  should  never  annoy  one's  parents  un- 
necessarily, so  I  kept  my  reflections  to  myself. 


' 


Mr.   Iliiikson. 
rs.      Seuatur, 


»j 


>stii]atiun. 
don't  suiDpose 
lUiiiiitanee  of 
a.     It  would 
liiii  what  use 

d  hear  you,'' 
s  pareuts  uii- 
self. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

TiTAT  last  day  in  Venice  we  went,  I  remember,  to 
the  Lido.  Xothing  happened,  but  I  don't  like  leaving  it 
out,  because  it  was  the  last  day,  and  the  next  best  thing 
to  lingering  in  Venice  is  lingering  on  it.  AVe  went  in 
a  steamboat,  under  protest  from  popi)a,  who  said  it  might 
as  well  be  Coney  Island  until  we  got  there,  when  ho 
admitted  points  of  diiTerence,  and  agreed  that  if  people 
had  to  come  all  the  way  out  in  gondolas,  certain  existing 
enterprises  might  as  well  go  out  of  business.  The  steam- 
er was  full  of  Venetians,  and  we  saw  that  thev  were 
charming,  though  momma  wishes  it  to  be  understood 
that  the  modern  Portia  wears  her  bodice  cut  rnther  too 
low  in  the  neck  and  gazes  much  too  softly  at  the  modem 
Bassanio.  Poppa  and  I  thought  it  mere  amiability  that 
scorned  to  conceal  itself,  but  momma  referred  to  it  other- 
wise, admitting,  however,  that  she  found  it  fascinating 
to  watch. 

AVe  seemed  to  disembark  at  a  restaurant  permanent 

among  flowing  waters,  so  prominent  was  this  feature  of 

the  island,  but  it  had  only  a  roof,  and  presently  we 

noticed  a  little  grass  and  some  bushes  as  well.     The 

verdure  had  quite  a  novel  look,  and  we  decided  to  dis- 

247 


iri 


!  1 


248 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


li^'l 


ij 


courage  the  casual  person  who  wished  to  soil  us  strange 
and  uncertified  shell  fish  from  a  basket  for  immediate 
consumption,  and  follow  it  up. 

Dicky  was  of  opinion  that  we  might  arrive  at  the 
veg(?table  gardens  of  Venice,  but  in  this  we  were  dis- 
appointed. We  came  instead  to  a  street-car,  and  half  a 
mile  of  arbour,  and  all  the  Venetians  pleasurably  pre- 
paring to  take  carriage  exercise.  The  horses  seemed  to 
like  the  idea  of  giving  it  to  them,  they  were  quite  light- 
hearted,  one  of  them  actually  pawed.  Tliey  were  the 
only  horses  in  Venice,  they  felt  their  dignity  and  their 
resi)onsibility  in  a  way  foreign  to  animals  in  the  public 
service,  anywhere  else  in  the  world.  Personally  we 
would  have  preferred  to  walk  to  the  other  end  of  the 
arbour,  but  it  would  have  seemed  a  slight,  and,  as  the 
Senator  said,  we  weren't  in  Venice  to  hurt  any- 
body's feelings  that  belonged  there.  It  would  have 
been  extravagant  too,  since  the  steamboat  ticket 
included  the  drive  at  the  end.  So  we  struggled 
anxiously  for  good  places,  and  proceeded  to  the  other 
side  with  much  circumstance,  enjoying  ourselves  as 
hard  as  possible.  Dicky  said  he  never  had  such  a  good 
time;  but  that  was  because  he  had  exhausted  Venice 
and  his  patience,  and  was  going  on  to   Verona  next 


lav 


The  arl)our  and  the  grass  and  the  street-car  track 
ended  sharply  and  all  together  at  a  raised  wooden  walk 
that  led  across  the  sand  to  a  pavilion  hanging  over  the 
Adriatic,  and  here  we  sat  and  watched  other  Venetians 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


249 


us  strange 
immediate 

ive  at  the 
were  dis- 
md  half  a 
rably  pre- 
5cemed  to 
lite  light- 
were  the 
and  their 
lie  public 
nally  we 
id  of  the 
d,  as  the 
H't    any- 
dd  have 
t    ticket 
truggled 
10  other 
Ives   as 
a  good 
Venice 
la   next 

r  track 
n  walk 
ver  the 
netians 


disporting  themselves  in  the  water  below.  They  were 
glorious  creatures,  and  they  disported  themselves  nobly, 
keeping  so  well  in  view  of  the  pavilion  and  such  a  steady 
eye  upon  the  spectators  that  po})pa  had  an  impulsive 
desire  to  feed  them  with  macaroons,  lie  decided  not 
to;  you  never  could  tell,  he  said,  what  might  be  consid- 
ered a  liberty  by  foreigners;  but  he  had  a  hard  struggle 
with  the  temptation,  the  aipuitic  accom[)lishm('nts  we 
saw  were  so  deserving  of  reward.  I  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  a  little  pink  rose  overboard,  as  it  were,  and  Dicky 
looked  seriously  annoyed  when  an  amphibious  young 
Venetian  caught  it  between  his  lips.  I  don't  know 
why;  he  was  one  of  the  most  attractive  on  view,  luit  I 
have  often  noticed  Turkish  tendencies  in  Dickv  where 

t.' 

his  country-women  are  concerned.  AVe  came  away 
almost  immediately  after,  so  that  rose  will  bloom  in  my 
memory,  until  I  forget  about  it,  among  romances  that 
might  have  been. 

Strolling  back,  we  bought  a  Venetian  secret  for  a 
sou  or  two,  a  beautiful  little  secret,  I  wonder  who  first 
found  it  out.  A  picturesque  and  fishy  smelling  })erson 
in  a  soft  felt  hat  sold  it  to  us — a  pair  of  tiny  dainty 
dried  sea-horses,  "  mere  "  and  "  prre  "  he  callccl  them. 
And  there,  all  in  the  curving  poise  of  their  little  heads 
and  the  twist  of  their  little  tails,  was  '  .ealed  half  the 
art  of  Venice,  and  we  saw  how  th,  i.rst  glass  worker 
came  to  be  told  to  make  a  sea  green  dragon  climbing 
over  an  amber  yellow  bowl,  and  where  the  gondola  bor- 
rowed its  grace.     They  moved  us  to  unanimous  enthusi- 


250 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


ill  Ih,  ,'     I 


asm,  and  we  utterly  refused  to  let  Dicky  put  one  in  his 
button-hole. 

It  is  looking  back  upon  Venice,  too,  that  I  see  the 
paternal  figure  of  the  Senator  nourishing  the  people 
witii  octopuses.  This  may  seem  improbable,  but  it  is 
strictly  true.  They  were  small  octopui^es,  not  nearly 
large  enough  to  kill  anybody  while  they  were  alive, 
though  boiled  and  pickled  they  looked  very  deadly. 
Pink  in  colour,  they  stood  in  a  barrel  near  the  entrance, 
I  remember,  of  Jesurum's,  and  attracted  the  Senator's 
inquiring  eye.  When  the  guide  said  they  were  for 
human  consumption  poppa  looked  at  him  suspiciously 
and  offered  him  one.  He  ate  it  with  a  promptness  and 
artistic  despatch  that  fascinated  us  all,  gathering  it  up 
by  its  limp  long  legs  and  taking  bites  out  of  it,  as  if  it 
were  an  apple.  A  one-eyed  man  who  hooked  pausing 
gondolas  up  to  the  slippery  steps  offered  to  show  how 
it  should  be  done,  and  otlier  performers,  all  skilled, 
seemed  to  rise  from  the  stones  of  the  pavement.  Poppa 
invited  them  all,  by  pantomime,  to  walk  up  and  have 
an  octopus,  and  when  the  crowd  began  to  gather  from 
the  side  alleys,  and  the  enthusiasm  grew  too  promiscu- 
ous, he  bought  the  barrel  outright  and  watched  the 
carnival  from  the  middle  of  the  canal.  He  often  speaks 
of  his  enjoyment  of  the  Venetian  octopus,  eaten  in  cold 
blood,  without  pepper,  salt,  or  vinegar;  and  the  effect, 
when  I  am  not  there,  is  awe-stricken. 

Xext  morning  we  took  a  gondola  for  the  station,  and 
slipped  through  the  gold  and  opal  silence  of  the  dawn 


li.il.;       I     ; 


J  ■•   ID  1^1 1 II 


■PI  I        k 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


251 


on  the  canals  away  from  Venice.  Xo  one  was  up  but 
the  sun,  who  did  as  he  liked  with  tlie  fa(,;a(U's  and  tlie 
bridges  in  the  water,  and  made  strange  lovelinesses  in 
narrow  darkling*  plaees,  and  showed  us  things  in  the 
calli  that  we  did  not  know  were  in  the  world.  The  Semi- 
tor  was  really  depressing  until  he  gradually  lightened 
his  spirits  by  \vorking  out  a  scheme  ior  a  direct  line  of 
steamships  between  Venice  and  New  York,  to  be  based 
on  an  agreement  with  the  Venetian  munici[)ality  as  to 
garments  of  legitimate  gaiety  for  the  gondoliers,  the 
re-nomination  of  an  annual  Doge,  who  should  be  com- 
pelled to  wear  his  robes  whenever  he  went  out  of  doors, 
and  the  vearlv  resurrection  of  the  ancient  ceremonv  of 
marrying  Venice  to  the  Adriatic,  during  the  months  of 
July  and  August,  when  the  tide  of  tourist  traffic  sets 
across  the  Atlantic.  "  AVe  should  get  every  school 
ma'am  in  the  Union,  to  begin  with,"  said  pojipa  con- 
fidently, and  by  the  time  we  reached  Verona  he  had 
floated  the  company,  launched  the  first  ship,  arrived  in 
Venice  with  full  orchestral  accompaniment,  and  dined 
the  imitation  Doge — if  he  couldn't  get  L^mberto  and 
Crispi — upon  clam  chowder  and  canvas-backs  to  the  aol- 
emn  strains  of  Hail  Columbia  played  up  and  down  the 
Grand  Canal.  "  If  it  covid  be  worked,"  said  poppa  as 
we  descended  upon  the  platform,  ''  I'd  like  to  have  the 
Pope  telephone  us  a  blessing  on  the  banquet." 


IT 


'Ill 


II 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

It  was  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  momma, 
having  spent  the  morning  among  the  tombs  of  the 
Scaligeri,  was  lying  down.  The  Scaligeri  somehow  had 
got  on  her  nerves;  there  were  so  many  of  them,  and  the 
panoply  of  their  individual  bones  was  so  imposing. 

"  Daughter,"  she  had  said  to  me  on  the  way  back 
to  the  hotel,  ^'  if  you  point  out  another  thing  to  me 
I'll  slap  you."  In  that  frame  of  mind  it  was  always  best 
to  let  momma  lie  down.  The  Senator  had  letters  to 
write;  I  think  he  wanted  to  communicate  his  Venetian 
steamship  idea  to  a  man  in  Minneapolis.  Dicky  had 
already  been  round  to  the  Hotel  di  Londres — we  were 
at  the  Colomba — and  had  found  nothing,  so  when  he 
asked  me  to  come  out  for  a  walk  I  prepared  to  be  steeped 
in  despondency.  An  unsuccessful  love  affair  is  a  severe 
test  of  friendship;  but  I  went. 

It  was  as  I  expected.  Having  secured  a  spectator 
to  wreak  his  gloom  upon,  Mr.  Dod  proceeded  to  make 
the  most  of  the  opportunity.  He  put  his  hat  on  reck- 
lessly, and  thrust  his  hands  into  his  pa — his  trouser 
pockets.     We  were  in  a  strange  town,  but  he  fastened 

bis  eyes  moodily  upon  the  pavement,  as  if  nothing  else 

252 


^rm^^^ 


mw 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


253 


1  momma, 

bs  of  the 

leliow  had 

n,  and  the 

3sing. 

way  back 

ing  to  me 

Iways  best 

letters  to 

Venetian 

)icky  had 

—we  were 

when  he 

DC  steeped 

s  a  severe 

spectator 
to  make 
on  reck- 

s  trouser 
fastened 

hing  else 


were  worth  considering.  As  we  strolled  into  the  Piazza 
lira,  1  saw  him  gradually  and  furtively  turn  up  his  coat- 
colhir,  at  which  I  felt  obliged  to  protest. 

"  Look  here,  Dieky,"  1  said,  "  uurequited  alTection 
is,  doubtless,  very  trying,  but  you're  too  nmch  of  an  ad- 
vertisement. The  Ven^nese  are  beginning  to  stare  at 
you;  their  sorcerers  will  presently  follow  y(ju  about  with 
their  patent  philters.  Reform  your  personal  appear- 
ance, or  here,  at  the  foot  of  this  statue  of  Victor  Em- 
manuel, I  leave  you  to  your  fate." 

Dicky  reformed  it,  but  with  an  air  of  patience  under 
persecution  which  I  found  hard  to  bear.  ^'  1  don't  kn(jw 
your  authority  for  calling  it  unrcipiited,"  he  said,  with 
dignity. 

"  All  right — undelivered,"  I  replied.  "  That  is  a 
noble  statue — you  can't  contradict  the  guide-book.  By 
Borghi." 

"Victor  Emmanuel,  is  it?  Then  it  isn^t  Garibaldi. 
You  don't  have  to  travel  much  in  Italy  to  know  it's  got 
to  be  either  one  or  the  other.  What  they  like  is  to  have 
both,"  said  ^Ir.  Dod,  with  unnecessary  bitterness.  "  I'd 
enjoy  something  fresh  in  statues  myself."  Then,  with 
an  imperfectly-concealed  alertness,  '^  There  seems  to  be 
something  going  on  over  there,"  he  added. 

We  could  see  nothing  but  an  arched  door  in  a  high, 
curving  wall,  and  a  stream  of  people  trickling  in. 
"  Probably  only  one  of  their  eternal  Latin  church  serv- 
ices "  continued  Dicky.  "  It's  about  the  onlv  form  of 
public  entertainment  you  can  depend  on  in  this  country. 


I|!||. 


11' 


'^ 


254 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


But  we  might  as  well  have  a  look  in."  lie  went  on  to 
sav,  as  we  erossed  the  tlustv  road,  that  niv  unsvnipa- 
thetie  attitude  was  enough  to  drive  anyhody  to  tlie 
(Mnireh  of  Home,  even  in  the  ndddle  of  tlie  after- 
noon. 

But  we  perceived  at  once  that  it  was  not  the  Church 
of  Rome,  or  any  other  church.  There  was  more  than 
one  arched  entrance,  and  a  man  in  each,  to  whom  people 
paid  a  lira  apiece  for  admission,  and  when  we  followed 
them  in  we  found  our  feet  still  upon  the  ground,  and 
ourselves  among  a  forest  of  solid  buttresses  and  props. 
The  number  XV.  was  cut  deep  over  the  door  we  came 
in  by,  and  the  props  had  the  air  of  centuries  of  patience. 
A  wave  of  sound  seemed  to  sweep  round  in  a  circle  in- 
side and  spend  itself  about  us,  of  faint  multitudinous 
clappings.  Conviction  descended  upon  us  suddenly,  and 
as  we  stumbled  after  the  others  we  shared  one  classic 
moment  of  anticipation,  hurrying  and  curious  in  1895 
as  the  Romans  hurried  and  were  curious  in  110,  a  little 
late  for  the  show  in  the  Arena.  They  were  all  there 
before  us,  they  had  taken  the  best  places,  and  sat,  as 
we  emerged  in  our  astonishment,  tier  above  tier  to  the 
row  where  the  wall  stopped  and  the  sky  began,  intent, 
enthusiastic.  The  wall  threw  a  new  moon  of  shadow 
on  the  west,  and  there  the  sun  struck  down  sharply 
and  made  splendid  the  dyes  in  the  women's  clothes,  and 
turned  the  Italian  soldiers'  buttons  into  flaming  jewels. 
And  again,  as  we  stared,  the  applause  went  round  and 
up,  from  the  yellow  sand  below  to  the  blue  sky  above, 


A   VOYAGE  OK  CONSOLATION. 


255 


went  on  to 

imaympa- 

►<ly   to  tlie 

tlio   after- 

lic  Clnircli 
more  than 
loni  people 
e  followed 
ound,  and 
md  j)rops. 
r  we  came 
f  patience. 

circle  in- 
titudinoiis 
lenlv,  and 
ne  classic 
3  in  1895 
0,  a  little 

all  there 
id  sat,  as 
ier  to  the 
n,  intent, 
f  shadow 
1  shari)ly 
thcs,  and 
g  jewels, 
mnd  and 
:y  above, 


and  when  we  looked  liewildered  down  into  the  Arena 
for  the  victorious  gladiator,  and  saw  a  tunil)ling  clown 
with  a  painted  face  instead,  the  illusion  was  only  half 
destroyed.  We  climbed  and  struggled  for  better  places, 
treading,  1  fear,  in  our  absorption  on  a  great  many 
Veronese  toes.  Dicky  said  when  we  got  them  that  you 
had  to  remember  that  the  seats  were  Koman  in  order 
to  appreciate  them,  they  were  such  very  cold  stone,  and 
they  sloped  from  back  to  front,  for  the  purpose,  as  we 
found  out  afterward  from  the  guide-book,  of  letting 
off  the  rain  water.  We  were  glad  to  understand  it,  but 
Dicky  declared  that  no  explanation  would  induce  him 
to  take  a  season  ticket  for  the  Arena,  it  was  too  destitute 
of  modern  improvements.  It  was  something,  though, 
to  sit  there  watching,  with  the  ranged  multitude,  a  show 
in  a  Koman  Amphitheatre — one  could  inuigine  things, 
lictors  and  tediles,  senators  and  centurions.  It  only  re- 
quired the  substitution  of  togas  and  girdled  robes  for 
trousers  and  petticoats,  and  a  purple  awning  for  the 
emperor,  and  a  brass-plated  body-guard  with  long 
spears  and  hairy  arms  and  legs,  and  a  few  details  like 
that.  If  one  hiilf  closed  one's  eyes  it  was  hardly  neces- 
sary to  imagine.  I  was  half  closing  my  eyes,  and  won- 
dering whether  they  had  Vestal  Virgins  at  this  particu- 
lar amphitheatre,  and  trying  to  remember  whether  they 
would  turn  their  thumbs  up  or  down  when  they  wished 
the  clown  to  be  destroyed,  when  Dicky  grew  suddenly 
pale  and  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"  I  was  afraid  it  might  give  one  a  chill,"  I  said, 


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jiii 


256 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  but  it  is  very  picturesque.  I  suppose  the  ancient 
Romans  brought  cushions.'^ 

Mr.  Dod  did  not  appear  to  hear  me. 

"  In  the  third  row  below,"  he  exclaimed,  blushing 
joyfully,  "  the  sixth  from  this  end — do  you  see?  Yellow 
bun  under  a  floral  hat — Isabel!  " 

"  A  yellow  bun  under  a  floral  hat,"  I  repeated,  "  that 
would  be  Isabel,  if  you  add  a  good  complexion  and  a 
look  of  deportment.  Yes,  now  I  see  her.  ^Irs.  Por- 
theris  on  one  side,  Mr.  Mafferton  on  the  other.  AVhat 
do  you  want  to  do? " 

"  Assassinate  Mafferton,"  said  Dicky.  "  Does  it 
look  to  you  as  if  he  had  been  getting  there  at  all." 

"  So  far  as  one  can  see  from  behind,  I  should  say  he 
has  made  some  progress,  but  I  don't  think,  Dicky,  that 
he  has  arrived.  He  is  constitutionally  slow,"  I  added, 
"  about  arriving." 

At  that  moment  the  party  rose.  AVithout  a  w^rd 
we,  too,  got  on  our  feet  and  automatically  followed, 
Dicky  treading  the  reserved  seats  of  the  court  of  Beren- 
garius  as  if  they  had  been  the  back  rows  of  a  Bowery 
theatre.  The  classics  were  wholly  obscured  for  him 
by  a  floral  hat  and  a  yellow  bun.  I,  too,  abandoned  my 
speculations  cheerfully,  for  I  expected  Mrs.  Portheris, 
confronted  with  Dicky,  to  be  more  entertaining  than 
any  gladiator. 

We  came  up  with  them  at  the  exit,  and  that  august 
lady,  as  we  approached,  to  our  astonishment,  greeted  us 
with  effusion.     ' 


m 


I 


u  i 


•m-ii   ;-!■  u 


lie   ancient 


1,  blushing 
e?    Yellow 

ited,  "  that 

'iion  and  a 

]\rrs.  Por- 

er.     What 

"Does    it 

all.'' 

•iild  say  he 
Jieky,  that 
'  I  added, 

lit  a  v^r-([ 
followed, 
of  Beren- 
a  Bowery 
for  him 
doned  my 
Portheris, 
ling  than 


I 


i 


"  Do  you  see  ?" 


at  august 
greeted  us 


lillii 


i     III 


1    i!ii 


alto^ 
reun 
,  traoi 
on  ^ 
encei 

WllA 

smal 

to  ]VJ 

was  : 

(• 

ii 
(i 
(i 
(t 

I 

conv 
ton  t 
a  ref 
and  1 

n 

may 

(C 

as  ^ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


257 


"  We  thought,"  she  dechared,  ''  that  we  had  lost  you 
altogether.  This  is  quite  delightful.  Xow  we  iniist 
reunite!  "  Dicky  was  certainly  included.  It  was  ex- 
,  traordinary.  "  And  your  dear  father  and  mother/'  went 
on  Mrs.  Portheris,  "  I  am  longing  to  hear  their  experi- 
ences since  we  parted.  Where  are  you^  The  Colondw^ 
AVliy  what  a  coincidence!  AVe  are  there,  too!  How 
small  the  world  is!  " 

"  Then  you  have  only  just  arrived,"  said  Mr.  Dod 
to  Miss  Portheris,  who  had  turned  away  her  head,  and 
was  regarding  the  distant  mountains. 

"  Yes." 

"By  the  11.30  p.m.?" 

"  K'o.     By  the  2.30  p.  m." 

"Had  you  a  pleasant  journey  up  from  Xaples?" 

"  It  was  rather  dust  v." 

I  saw  that  something  quite  awful  was  going  on  and 
conversed  volubly  with  Mrs.  Portheris  and  Mr.  Maffer- 
ton  to  give  Dicky  a  chance,  but  in  a  moment  I,  too,  felt 
a  refrigerating  influence  proceeding  from  the  floral  hat 
and  the  bun  for  which  I  could  not  account. 

"  Where  have  you  been? "  inquired  Dicky,  "  if  I 
may  ask." 

"  At  Vallombrosa." 

There  was  also  a  parasol  and  it  twisted  indiffer- 
ently. 

'^  Ah — among  the  leaves!  And  were  they  as  thick 
as  William  says  they  are?" 

"  I  don't  understand  you."    And,  indeed,  this  levity 


■  ■ 


m 


"  ii 


my 


iiiivi: 


Ii- 


'ii! 


'Illi! 


258 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


assorted  iiicomprehensively  with  the  black  despair  that 
sat  on  Dicky's  countenance.  It  was  really  very  painful 
in  spite  of  Mrs.  Portheris's  unusual  humanity  and  Mr. 
Mafferton's  obvious  though  embarrassed  joy,  and  as  Mrs. 
Portheris's  cab  drove  up  at  the  moment  I  made  a  tenta- 
tive attempt  to  bring  the  interview  to  a  close.  "  Mr. 
Dod  and  I  are  walking,"  I  said. 

"  Ah,  these  little  strolls!  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Portheris, 
with  benignant  humour.  "  I  suppose  we  must  condone 
them  now!  "  and  she  waved  her  hand,  rolling  away,  as 
if  she  gave  us  a  British  matron's  blessing. 

"  Oh,  don't!  "  I  cried.  '^  Don't  condone  them — you 
mustn't!  "  But  my  words  fell  short  in  a  cloud  of  dust, 
and  even  Dicky,  wrapped  in  his  tragedy,  failed  to  re- 
ceive an  impression  from  them. 

"  How,"  he  demanded  passionately,  "  do  you  ac- 
count for  it?  " 

"  Account  for  what?  "  I  shuffled. 

"  The  size  of  her  head — the  frost — the  whole  bally 
conversation!  "  propounded  Dicky,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes. 

I  have  really  a  great  deal  of  feeling,  and  I  did  not 
rebuke  these  terms.  Besides,  I  could  see  only  one  way 
out  of  it,  and  I  was  occupied  with  the  best  terms  in 
which  to  present  it  to  Dicky.  So  I  said  I  didn't  know, 
and  reflected. 

"  She  isn't  the  same  girl !  "  he  groaned. 

"  Men  are  always  talking  in  the  funny  columns  of 
the   newspapers,"    I   remarked   absently,    "  about   how 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


259 


much  better  they  can  throw  a  stone  and  sharpen  a  pencil 
than  we  can." 

Mr.  Dod  looked  injured.  "  Oh,  well,"  he  said,  "  if 
you  prefer  to  talk  about  something  else " 

"  But  they  can't  see  into  a  sentimental  situation  any 
further  than  into  a  board  fence,"  I  continued  serenely. 
"  My  dear  Dick,  Isabel  thinks  you're  engaged.  So  does 
her  mamma.     So  does  Mr.  Mafferton." 

"  Who  to? "  exclaimed  Mr.  Dod,  in  ungrammatical 
amazement. 

''  I  looked  at  him  reproachfully.  "  Don't  be  such 
an  owl!  "  I  said. 

Light  streamed  in  upon  Dicky's  mind.  "  To  you !  " 
he  exclaimed.     "  Great  Scott !  " 

"Preposterous,  isn't  it?"  I  said. 

"  I  should  ejaculate!  AVell,  no,  I  mean — I  shouldn't 
ejaculate,  but — oh,  you  know  what  I  mean " 

"  I  do,"  I  said.     "  Don't  apologise." 

"  What  in  my  aunt's  wardrobe  do  they  think  that 
for?" 

"  You  left  their  party  and  joined  ours  rather  abrupt- 
ly at  Pompeii,"  I  said. 

"Had  to!" 

"  Isabel  didn't  know  you  had  to.    If  she  tried  to  find  ' 
out,  I  fancy  she  was  told  little  girls  shouldn't  ask  ques- 
tions.   It  was  Lot's  wife  who  really  came  between  you, 
but  Isabel  wouldn't  have  been  jealous  of  Lot's  wife." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  Dicky  doubtfully. 

"  Do  you  remember  meeting  the  Misses  Bingham 


260 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


I|i  !' 


in  the   Ufizzi?  and   telling  them   you   were   going   to 
be " 

"  That's  so." 

"  You  didn't  give  them  enough  details.  And  they 
told  me  they  were  going  to  Vallombrosa.  And  when 
Miss  Cora  said  good-bye  to  me  she  told  me  you  were 
a  dear  or  something." 

"  Why  didn't  you  say  I  wasn't?  " 

"  Dicky,  if  you  are  going  to  assume  that  it  was  my 
fault " 

"  Only  one  decent  hotel — hardly  anybody  in  it — 
foregathered  with  old  lady  Porthcris — told  every  mor- 
tal thing  they  knew!  Oh,"  groaned  Dicky.  "Why 
was  an  old  maid  ever  born!  " 

"  She  never  w^as,"  I  couldn't  help  saying,  but  I 
might  as  well  not  have  said  it.  Dicky  was  rapidly  for- 
mulating his  plan  of  action. 

.   "  I'll  tell  her  straight  out,  after  dinner,"  he  con- 
cluded, "  and  her  mother,  too,  if  I  get  a  chance." 

"  Do  you  know  what  will  happen? "  I  asked. 

"  You  never  know  what  will  happen,"  replied  Dicky, 
blushing. 

"  Mrs.  and  Miss  Portheris  and  Mr.  Mafferton  will 
leave  the  Hotel  Colomba  for  parts  unknown,  by  the 
earliest  train  to-morrow  morning." 

"  But  Mrs.  Portheris  declares  that  we're  to  be  a 
happy  family  for  the  rest  of  the  trip." 

"  Under  the  impression  that  you  are  disposed  of, 
an  impression  that  might  be  allowed  to " 


WIS 

Ma 

to : 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


261 


e  you  were 


"  My  heart,"  said  Dicky  impulsively,  "  may  be  other- 
wise engaged,  but  my  alleged  mind  is  yours  for  ever. 
Mamie,  you  have  a  great  head." 

''  Thanks,"  I  said.  "  I  would  certainly  tell  the  truth 
to  Isabel,  as  a  secret,  but " 


}} 


"  Mamie,  we  cut  our  teeth  on  the  same— 

"  Horrid  of  you  to  refer  to  it." 

"It's  such  a  tremendous  favour!  " 

"  It  is." 

"  But  since  you're  in  it,  you  know,  already — and 
it's  so  very  temporary — and  I'll  be  as  good  as  gokl " 

"  You'd  better!  "  I  exclaimed.  And  so  it  was  set- 
tled that  the  fiction  of  Dicky's  and  my  engagement 
should  be  permitted  to  continue  to  any  extent  that 
seemed  necessary  until  Mr.  Dod  should  be  able  to  per- 
suade Miss  Portheris  to  fly  with  him  across  the  Chan- 
nel and  be  married  at  a  Dover  registry  oflice.  AVe  ar- 
ranged everything  with  great  precision,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, I  was  to  fly  too,  to  make  it  a  little  more  proper. 
We  were  both  somewhat  doubtful  about  the  necessity 
of  a  bridesmaid  in  a  registry  oflice,  but  we  agreed  that 
such  a  thing  would  go  a  long  way  towards  persuading 
Isabel  to  enter  it. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  hotel  we  found  Mrs.  Por- 
theris and  Mr.  Mafferton  affectionately  having  tea  with 
my  parents.  Isabel  had  gone  to  bed  with  a  headache, 
but  Dicky,  notwithstanding,  displayed  the  most  unfeel- 
ing spirits.  He  drove  us  all  finally  to  see  the  tomb  of 
Juliet  in  the  Vicolo  Franceschini,  and  it  was  before 


n 


i  H 


!1 

ill 

I''" :'  ! 


m 


:   I 


262 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


that  uninspiring  stone  trough  full  of  visiting  cards,  be- 
hind a  bowling  green  of  suburban  patronage,  that  I 
heard  him,  on  general  grounds  of  expediency,  make  con- 
trite advances  to  Mrs.  Portheris. 

*'  I  think  I  ought  to  tell  you,"  he  said,  ''  that  my 
views  have  undergone  a  change  since  I  saw  you." 

Mrs.  Portheris  fixed  her  pi  nee  nez  upon  him  in  sus- 
picious inquiry. 

"  I  can  even  swallow  the  whale  now,"  he  faltered, 
"  like  Jonah." 


IW'' 


cards,  be- 

;e,  that  I 

make  con- 

"  that  my 

you." 

m  in  siis- 

faltered. 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 

After  two  days  of  the  most  humid  civilitv  Mrs. 
Portheris  had  brought  momma  round.  It  was  not  an 
easy  process,  momma  liad  such  a  way  of  fanning  herself 
and  regarding  distant  objects;  and  Dicky  and  I  ob- 
served its  difficulties  with  great  satisfaction,  for  a  family 
matter  \vould  be  the  last  thini>;  anvbodv  would  venture 
to  discuss  with  monmia  under  such  circumstances,  and 
we  very  much  preferred  that  Mrs.  Portheris's  over- 
flowing congratulations  should  be  chilled  off  as  long  as 
possible.  Dicky  was  for  taking  my  parents  into  our 
confidence  as  a  measure  of  preparation,  but  with  poppa's 
commands  upon  me  with  regard  to  Arthur,  I  felt  a 
delicacy  as  to  the  subject  of  engagements  generally. 
Besides,  one  never  can  tell  whether  one's  poppa  and 
momma  would  back  one  up  in  a  thing  like  that. 

I  never  could  quite  understand  Mrs.  Portheris's  in- 
creasingly good  opinion  of  us  at  this  point.  The  Sena- 
ton  declared  that  it  was  because  some  American  shares 
of  hers  had  gone  up  in  the  market,  but  that  struck 
momma  and  me  as  somewhat  too  general  in  its  applica- 
tion.   I  preferred  to  attribute  it  to  the  Senator's  Tariff 

Bill.    Mr.  Mafferton  brought  us  the  Times  one  evening 

'2G3 


r 
ill 


1.    i!' 


2CA 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOL.VTION. 


I'.ii 


i 
III 

illill ! 


m 

!  ; '! 
1  ^  ',■ 

IH 


■I 


in  Verona,  and  pointed  out  with  solemn  congratulation 
that  the  name  of  J.  P.  Wick  was  mentioned  four  times 
in  the  course  of  its  leading  article.  That  journal  even 
said  in  effect  that,  if  it  were  not  for  the  faithfully  s.is- 
tained  anti-humorous  character  which  had  established 
it  for  so  many  generations  in  the  approbation  of  the 
British  public,  it  would  go  so  far  as  to  call  the  contem- 
plated measure  ''  AVicked  legislation."  Mr.  Mafferton 
could  not  understand  why  poppa  had  no  desire  to  cut 
out  the  article,  lie  said  there  was  something  so  inter- 
esting about  seeing  one's  name  in  print — he  always  did 
it.  I  was  very  curious  to  see  instances  of  Mr.  Maffer- 
ton's  name  in  print,  and  finally  induced  him  to  show 
them  to  me.  They  were  mainly  advertisements  for  lost 
dogs — "  Apply  to  the  Hon.  Charles  Mafferton,"  and  the 
reward  was  very  considerable. 

But  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  way  the  plot 
thickened  on  the  Lake  of  Como.  I  was  watching  Bel- 
lagio  slip  past  among  the  trees  on  the  left  shore  and 
"Wondering  whether  we  could  hear  the  nightingales  if 
it  were  not  for  the  steamer's  engines — which  was  par- 
ticularly unlikely  as  it  was  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
— and  thinking  about  the  trifles  that  would  sometimes 
divide  lives  plainly  intended  to  mingle.  Mere  enuncia- 
tion, for  example,  was  a  thing  one  could  so  soon  become 
reaccustomed  to;  already  momma  had  ceased  to  con- 
gratulate me  on.  my  broad  a's,  and  I  could  not  help  the 
inference  that  my  conversation  was  again  unobtrusively 
Chicagoan.     It  was  frustrating,  too,  that  I  had  no  way 


li: 


ratulation 
our  tiiTK  a 
fiial  even 
fully  s  is- 
itabJislied 
n  of  the 
'■  contein- 
lafferton 
■e  to  cut 
so  inter- 
■vajs  did 

Maffer- 
to  show 

for  lost 
and  the 


he  plot 
ng  Bel- 
)re  and 
?ales  if 
as  par- 
ernoon 
letinies 
luncia- 
)ecome 
0  con- 
sip  the 
isively 
0  way 


I    i 


i      Kill 


m 


W^   :."■ 


01 

11 
ti 
rii 

g| 
b 


Fervent  apologies. 


iliiii.ilil 


"  »ipwmaiw  jwf  iniywJiwini'vm'wi " 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


2G5 


.T*'^^  •, 


.V 


y 


I 


of  finding  out  how  much  poppa  knew,  and  extremely 
irritating  to  think  that  he  knew  anything.  He  was  sit- 
ting near  me  as  I  mused,  immersed  in  the  American 
mail,  while  momma  and  his  Aunt  Caroline  insensibly 
glided  towards  intimacy  again  on  two  wicker  chairs  close 
by.  Mr.  Mafferton  was  counting  the  luggage  some- 
where; he  was  never  happy  on  a  steamer  until  he  had 
done  that;  and  Isabel  was  being  fervently  apologised 
to  by  Dicky  on  the  other  side  of  the  deck.  I  ho})ed 
she  was  taking  it  in  the  proper  spirit.  I  had  the  terms 
all  ready  in  which  /  should  accept  an  apology,  if  it  were 
ever  offered  to  me. 

"  N^ow,  I  must  not  put  off  any  longer  telling  you 
how  delighted  I  am  at  your  dear  Mamie's  re-engage- 
ment." 

The  statement  reached  us  all,  though  it  was  in- 
tended for  momma  only.  Even  Mrs.  Portheris's  more 
amiable  accents  had  a  quality  which  penetrated  far, 
with  a  suggestion  of  whiskers.  I  looked  again  languidly 
at  Bellagio,  but  not  until  I  had  observed  a  rapid  glance 
between  my  parents,  recommending  each  other  not  to 
be  taken  by  surprise. 

"  Has  she  confided  in  you?  "  inquired  momma. 

"  'No — no.  I  heard  it  in  a  roundabout  way.  You 
must  be  very  pleased,  dear  Augusta.  Such  an  advantage 
that  they  have  known  each  other  all  their  lives!  " 

Poppa  looked  guardedly  round  at  me,  but  by  this 
time  I  was  asleep  in  my  camp  chair,  the  air  was  so 
balmily  cool  after  our  hot  rattle  to  Como. 


'■  i'  .    ! 

1      ll' 
jl'lll 


W'm 


wu 


'     -  II 


266  A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

"  How  did  you  hear? "  he  demanded,  coming 
straight  to  the  point,  while  momma  struggled  after  tenta- 
tive uncertainties. 

''  Oh,  a  little  bird,  a  little  bird — who  had  it  from 
them  both!  And  much  better,  I  said  when  I  heard  it, 
that  she  should  marry  one  of  her  own  country-people. 
American  girls  nowadays  will  so  often  be  content  with 
nothing  less  than  an  Englishman!  " 

"  So  far  as  that  goes,"  said  the  Senator  crisply,  "  we 
never  buy  anything  we  haven't  a  use  for,  simply  be- 
cause it's  cheap.  But  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that 
my  daughter's  re-engagement,  on  the  old  American 
lines,  is  a  thing  I've  been  wanting  to  happen  for  some 
time." 

"  And  there  are  some  really  excellent  points  about 
Mr.  Dod.  We  must  remember  that  he  is  still  very 
young.  He  has  plenty  of  time  to  repair  his  fortunes. 
Of  one  thing  we  may  be  sure,"  continued  Mrs.  Portheris 
magnanimously,  "  he  will  make  her  a  very  hind  hus- 
band." 

At  this  I  opened  my  eyes  inadvertently — nobody 
could  help  it — and  saw  the  barometrical  change  in  pop- 
pa's countenance.  It  went  down  twenty  degrees  with 
a  run,  and  wore  all  the  disgust  of  an  hon,  gentleman 
who  has  jumped  to  conclusions  and  found  nothing  to 
stand  on. 

"  Oh,  you're  away  off  there,  Aunt  Caroline,"  he 
said  with  some  annoyance.  "  Better  sell  your  little 
bird  and  buy  a  telephone.     Richard  Dod  is  no  more 


111 


MM 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


2C7 


engaged    to    our    duiigliter    than    the    man    in    tlio 


moon. 


5) 


"Well,  I  should  sav  not!"  exclaimed  momma. 

"  I  have  it  on  the  had  authority,"  insisted  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  blandly.  "  You  American  parents  are  so  seldom 
consulted  in  these  matters.  Perhaps  the  young  people 
have  not  told  you." 

This  was  a  nasty  one  for  both  the  family  and  the 
Republic,  and  I  heard  the  Senator's  rejoinder  with  sat- 
isfaction. 

"  We  don't  consider,  in  the  United  States,  that  we're 
the  natural  bullies  of  our  children  because  we  happen  to 
be  a  little  older  than  they  are,"  he  said,  "  but  for  all 
that  we're  not  in  the  habit  of  hearing  much  news  about 
them  from  outsiders.  I'll  have  to  get  you  to  promit;e 
not  to  go  sjireading  such  nonsense  around,  Aunt  Caro- 
line." 

"  Oh,  of  course,  if  you  say  so,  but  I  should  be 
better  satisfied  if  she  denied  it  herself,"  said  IMrs. 
Portheris  with  suavity.  "  My  information  was  so  very 
exact." 

I  had  slumbered  again,  but  it  did  not  avail  me. 
I  heard  the  American  mail  dispersing  itself  about  the 
deck  in  all  directions  as  the  Senator  rose,  strode  towards 
my  chair,  and  shook  me  much  more  vigorously  than 
there  was  any  necessity  for. 

Here's  Aunt  Caroline,"  he  said,  "  wanting  us  to 


u 


believe  that  you  and  Dicky  Dod  are  engaged — you  two 

that  have  quarrelled  as  naturally  as  brother  and  sister 
18 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

ever  since  you  were  born.     I  guess  you  can  tell  her 
whether  it's  very  likely!  " 

I  yawned,  to  gain  time,  but  the  widest  yawn  will 
not  cover  more  than  two  seconds. 

"What  an  extraordinary  question!"  I  said.  It 
sounds  weak,  but  that  was  the  way  one  felt. 

"  Don't  prevaricate,  Mamie,  love,''  said  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  sternly. 

I'm  not — I  don't.  But  n-nothing  of  the  kind  is 
announced,  is  it  ?  "  I  was  growing  nervous  under  the 
Senatorial  eve. 

'  K^othing  of  the  kind  exists,^'  said  poppa,  the  Doge 
all  over,  except  his  umbrella.     "Does  it^" 

"  Why  no,"  I  said.  "  Dicky  and  I  aren't  engaged. 
But  we  have  an  understanding." 

I  was  extremely  sorry.  Mrs.  Portheris  was  so  tri- 
umphant, and  poppa  allowed  his  irritation  to  get  so  much 
the  better  of  him. 

"  Oh,"  he  said,  "  you've  got  an  understanding! 
Well,  you've  been  too  intelligent,  darned  if  you 
haven't!  "  The  Senator  pulled  his  beard  in  his  most 
uncompromising  manner.  "'Now  you  can  understand 
something  more.  I'm  not  going  to  have  it.  You 
haven't  got  my  consent  and  you're  not  going  to  get  it." 

"  But,  my  dear  nephew,  the  match  is  so  suitable  in 
every  respect!  Surely  you  would  not  stand  in  the  way 
of  a  daughter's  happiness  when  both  character  and  posi- 
tion— position  in  Chicago,  of  course,  but  still — are  as- 
sured! " 


A   VOYAGE   OF   CONSOLATION. 


209 


Poppa  paused,  uiu'crtaiii  for  an  instant  wlictlu'r  to 
turn  his  wrath  n})on  his  aunt,  and  that,  of  i-onrst',  was 
my  opportunity  to  plead  witli  my  angry  parent.  But 
the  knowledge  that  the  liopc^s  which  poppa  was  reduc- 
ing to  dust  ana  aslies  were  fervently  fixed  on  a  floral  hat 
and  a  yellow  bun  over  whieh  he  had  no  control,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  shij),  overcame  me,  and  I  looked  at 
Bellagio  to  hide  my  emotions  instead,  in  a  way  which 
they  might  interpret  as  obstinate,  if  tluy  liked. 

"  Aunt  Caroline,"  said  the  Senator  firndy,  "  TU 
thank  you  to  keep  your  spoon  out  of  the  preserves,  ^ly 
daughter  knows  where  I  have  given  her  hand,  and  that's 
the  direction  she's  going  with  her  feet,  ^lary,  I  may 
as  well  inform  vou  that  the  details  of  vour  wedding  are 
being  arranged  in  Chicago  this  minute.  It  will  take 
place  within  three  weeks  of  our  arrival,  and  it  won't 
be  any  slump.  But  Richard  Dod  might  as  well  be  told 
right  now  that  he  won't  be  in  it,  unless  in  the  capacity 
of  usher.  As  I  don't  contemplate  breaking  up  this  party 
and  making  things  disagreeable  all  round,  youll  have 
to  tell  him  yourself.  AVe  sail  from  Liverpool  " — poppa 
looked  at  his  watch — "  precisely  one  week  and  four 
hours  from  now,  and  if  Mr.  Dod  has  not  agreed  to  the 
conditions  I  mention  by  that  time  we  will  leave  him 
upon  the  shore.  That's  all  I  have  to  say,  and  between 
now"  and  then  I  don't  expect  you  or  anybody  else  to  have 
the  nerve  to  mention  the  matter  to  me  again." 

After  that  it  was  impossible  to  wink  at  poppa,  or  in 
any  way  to  give  him  the  assurance  that  my  regard  for 


^^'  'nmvni^i^mimmf'msrp^'- 


270 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


him  was  unimpaired.  There  are  things  that  can't  be 
passed  over  with  a  smile  in  one's  poppa  without  doing 
him  harm,  and  this  was  one  of  them.  It  was  a  regular 
manifesto,  and  I  felt  exactly  like  Lord  Salisbury.  I 
couldn't  take  him  seriously,  and  yet  I  had  to  tell  him  to 
come  on,  if  he  wanted  to,  and  devote  his  spare  time  to 
learning  the  language  of  di[)lomacy.  So  I  merely  bowed 
with  what  magnificence  I  could  command  and  filed  it, 
so  to  si)eak;  and  walked  to  the  other  side  of  the  deck, 
leaving  po})pa  to  his  conscience  and  monuna  and  his 
Aunt  Caroline.  I  left  him  with  confidence,  not  know- 
ing which  would  give  him  the  w'orst  time.  Mrs.  Por- 
theris  began  it,  before  I  was  out  of  earshot.  "  For  an 
American  parent,"  she  said  blandly,  "  it  strikes  me, 
Joshua,  that  you  are  a  little  severe." 

I  found  Mr.  Mafferton  interfering,  as  I  expected, 
with  Dicky  and  Isabel  in  their  appreciation  of  the  west 
shore.  He  was  pointing  out  the  Villa  Carlotta  at  Cad- 
denablJa,  and  explaining  the  beauties  of  the  sculptures 
there  and  dwelling  on  the  tone  of  blue  in  the  immediate 
Alps  and  reminding  them  that  the  elder  Pliny  once 
picked  wild  flowers  on  these  banks,  and  generally  mak- 
ing himself  the  intelligent  nuisance  that  nature  intended 
him  to  be.  In  spite  of  it  Isabel  was  radiant.  She  said 
a  number  of  things  with  the  greatest  ease;  one  saw^  that 
language,  after  all,  was  not  difficult  to  her,  she  only 
w^anted  practice  and  an  untroubled  mind.  I  looked  at 
Dicky  and  saw  that  a  weight  had  been  removed  from 
his,  and  it  was  impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion  that 


'I'w  w'W:"«w\w»in'ja'| 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


271 


peace  and  satisfaction  in  this  life  would  date  for  those 
two,  if  all  went  well  for  the  next  few  days,  from  the 
Lake  of  C'onio.  ]>ut  all  could  not  be  relied  ujjon  to  ^o 
well  so  lon<»'  as  Mr.  Malferton  hovered,  (jiiotinj;'  Claudian 
on  the  mulberry  tree,  upon  the  brink  of  a  i)roj)osal,  so 
I  took  him  awav  to  translate  his  (luotation  for  me  in 
the  stern,  which  naturally  sui^gested  the  i)ast  and  its 
emotions.  We  could  now  refer  (iuite  synii)athetii'ally 
to  the  altogether  irretrievable  and  gone  by,  and  ^Ir. 
Mafferton  was  able  to  mention  ]^ady  Tor(pulan  without 
any  trace  of  his  air  that  she  was  a  i)erson,  ])oor  dear,  that 
brought  embarrassment  with  her.  Indeed,  1  sometimes 
thought  he  dragged  her  in.  I  asked  him,  in  ai)])r()priate 
phrases,  of  course,  whether  he  had  decided  to  accept 
Mrs.  Portheris's  daughter,  and  he  fixed  mournful  eyes 
upon  me  and  said  he  thought  he  had,  almost.  The  news 
of  my  engagement  to  ]\[r.  I)(jd  had  apparently  done 
much  to  bring  him  to  a  conclusion;  he  said  it  ])ointed 
so  definitely  to  the  unlikelihood  of  his  ever  beinir  able 
to  find  a  more  stinndating  companion  than  Miss  Por- 
theris,  with  all  her  charms,  n-as  likcdy  to  ]irove.  It  was 
difficult,  of  course,  to  see  the  connection,  but  I  could 
not  help  confiding  to  Mr.  ]\Iafferton,  as  a  secret,  that 
there  was  liardlv  anv  chance  of  mv  union  with  Dicky 
— after  what  popjia  had  said.  When  I  assured  him  that 
I  had  no  intention  whatever  of  disoI)eying  my  parent 
in  a  matter  of  which  he  was  so  much  better  (puilified 
to  be  a  judge  than  I,  it  was  impossible  not  to  see  ^Ir. 
Maiferton's  good  opinion  of  me  rising  in  his  face.     He 


it 


i 


272 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


ill 


said  he  could  not  help  sympathising  with  the  paternal 
view,  but  that  was  all  he  would  sny;  he  retrained  mag- 
nificently from  abusing  Dicly.  And  we  parted  nmtu- 
ally  more  deeply  convinced  than  ever  of  the  undesira- 
bility  of  doing  anytliing  rash  in  the  all  important  direc- 
tion we  had  been  discussing. 

As  we  disembarked  at  Colico  to  take  tlie  train  for 
Chiavenna,  Mrs.  Portheris,  after  seeing  that  Mr.  Maf- 
ferton  was  collecting  the  portmanteaux,  gave  me  a  word 
of  comfort  and  of  admonition.  ''  Take  my  advice,  my 
child,"  she  said,  ''  and  be  faithful  to  poor  dear  Richard. 
Your  father  must,  in  the  end,  give  way.  I  shall  keep 
at  him  in  your  interests.  AVlien  you  left  us  this  after- 
noon," continued  the  ladv  mvsteriouslv,  "  he  immedi- 
ately  took  out  his  fountain  pen  and  wrote  a  letter.  It 
was  directed — I  saw  that  much — to  a  Mr.  Arthur  Page. 
Is  he  the  creature  who  is  to  be  forced  upon  you,  my 
child  ?  "  Mrs.  Portheris  in  the  sentimental  view  was 
really  affecting. 

"  I  think  it  verv  likelv,"  I  said  calmlv,  "  but  I  have 
promised  to  be  faithful  to  Richard,  Mrs.  Portheris,  and  I 
will." 

But  I  really  felt  a  little  nervous. 


hi 


i 


•  PW    ;i  •unilMII\UUWI|i«||l.flll<l.l>jy.lM»»« 


10  paternal 
lined  niag- 
■  ted  iiiutu- 
'  undesira- 
tant  direc- 

train  for 
^Ir.  :\Iaf- 
ne  a  word 
J  vice,  my 

Richard, 
ball  keep 
his  after- 

immedi- 
Jttcr.  It 
ur  Page, 
you,  my 
iew  was 

t  I  have 
is,  and  I 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  instant  we  saw  the  diligence  momma  declared 
that  if  she  had  to  sit  anywhere  but  in  the  middle  of  it 
she  would  remain  in  Chiavenna  until  next  day.  Mrs. 
Portheris  was  of  the  same  mind.  She  said  that  even  the 
interieur  would  be  dangerous  enough  going  down  hill, 
but  if  the  Senator  would  sit  there  too  she  would  try 
not  to  be  nervous.  The  coupe  was  terrifying — one  saw 
everything  the  poor  dear  horses  did — and  as  to  the 
hanquette  she  could  imagine  herself  flying  out  of  it, 
if  we  so  much  as  went  over  a  stone.  As  a  party  we  were 
strangers  to  the  diligence;  w^e  had  all  the  curiosity  and 
hesitation  about  it,  as  Dicky  remarked,  of  the  animals 
when  Koah  introduced  them  to  the  Ark.  I  asked  Dicky 
to  describe  the  diligence  for  the  purpose  of  this  volume, 
thinking  that  it  might,  here  and  there,  have  a  reader 
who  had  never  seen  one,  and  he  said  that,  as  soon  as 
he  had  made  up  his  mind  whether  it  was  most  like  a 
triumphal  chariot  in  a  circus  procession  or  a  boudoir  car 
in  an  ambulance,  he  would ;  but  then  his  eyes  wandered 
to  Isabel,  who  was  pinker  than  ever  in  the  mountain 
air,  and  his  reasoning  faculties  left  him.  A  small  Ger- 
man with  a  very  red  nose,  most  incoherent  in  his  ap- 

273 


1.  f'- 


i 


m 

■Hit 


t; 


274 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


;"  I 


J 


r 


1;  \ 


II ' 


I'l  I 


!  I 


i    1 


I ;  I 


lii 


parol — lie  ini<^lit  have  been  a  Baron  or  again  a  hair- 
tlrt'ssor — already  occupied  one  of  tiie  seats  in  tlie  in- 
ter iciw.,  so  after  our  elders  iiad  been  safely  depositc'd 
beside  him  the  batKiucllc  and  the  coupi'  were  h'ft,  as 
Mrs.  Portheris  said,  to  the  advent un»us  young  peopU». 
Dicky  and  1  had  cons[)ired,  for  the  sustained  effect  on 
!Mrs.  Portheris,  to  sit  in  the  hantiuaHv,  while  Isabel  was 
to  suifer  Mr.  ^lafferton  in  the  couih' — an  arrangement 
which  her  mother  viewed  with  entire  coni[)lacency. 
"  After  all,"  said  .Mrs.  Portheris  to  momma,  *'  we're  not 
in  Hyde  Park — and  young  people  will  be  young  peo- 
ple." We  had  not  counted,  however,  with  the  Senator, 
who  suddenly  realised,  as  Dicky  was  handing  me  up, 
that  it  was  his  business,  in  the  capacity  of  Doge,  to  in- 
terfere. It  is  to  his  credit  that  he  found  it  embarrassing, 
on  account  of  his  natural,  almost  paternal,  dislike  to 
make  things  unpleasant  for  Dicky.  He  assumed  a  stern- 
ly impenetrable  expression,  thought  about  it  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  approached  Mr.  Mafferton. 

"  I'd  be  obliged  to  you,"  he  said,  ^'  if  you  could 
arrange,  without  putting  yourself  out  any,  to  change 
places  with  young  Dod,  there,  as  far  as  St.  Moritz.  I 
have  my  reasons — but  not  necessarily  for  publication. 
See?" 

Mr.  Mafferton's  eye  glistened  with  appreciation  of 
the  confidence  reposed  in  him.  "  I  shall  be  most  happy," 
lie  said,  "  if  Dod  doesn't  mind."  But  Dicky,  with  in- 
decent haste,  was  already  in  the  coupe.  "  Don't  men- 
tion it,  Mafferton,"  lie  said  out  of  the  window.     "  I'm 


I 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


275 


(leliglitod — at  least — wliatevor  tlio  Senator  says  lias  ^ot 
to  be  done,  of  eonrse,"  and  lie  made  an  attempt  to  look 
hurt  tiiat  would  not  have  imijoscd  upon  anybody  but  a 
self-constituted  J)oii'e  witli  i  li'uiltv  eonscirnce.  I  took 
my  bereavement  in  stony  eabn,  with  possibly  just  a 
suggestion  about  my  eyebrows  and  un<h'r-lip  that  some 
day,  on  the  far  free  shores  of  Lake  -Micbigan,  a  down- 
trodden daughter  would  re-assert  herself;  i)oppa  re-en- 
tered an  intcricur  darkened  by  a  tbumU'r-eloud  on  the 
brow  of  his  Aunt  (Airoline;  and  we  started. 

It  was  some  time  before  ^Ir.  ^raiferton  interfered 
in  the  least  with  the  Engadine.  He  seemed  wrapped  in 
a  cloud  of  vain  imaginings,  sprung,  obviously,  from 
poppa's  ill-considered  rei|uest.  1  understood  his  emo- 
tions and  carefully  respected  his  silence.  I  was  unwill- 
ing to  be  instructed  about  the  Engadine  either  botanic- 
ally  or  geologically — it  was  more  agreeable  not  to  know 
the  names  of  the  lovely  little  foreign  flowers,  and  (juite 
pleasant  enough  that  every  turn  in  the  road  showed 
us  a  white  mountain  or  a  purple  one  without  having  to 
understand  what  it  was  made  of.  Besides,  T  particularly 
did  not  wish  to  precipitate  anything,  and  tliere  are  mo- 
ments when  a  mere  remark  aboiit  the  weather  will  do 
it.  I  had  been  suffering  a  good  deal  from  my  conscience 
since  Mrs.  Portheris  had  told  me  that  poppa  had  written 
to  Arthur — I  didn't  mind  him  enduring  unnumbered 
pangs  of  hope  deferred,  but  it  was  quite  another  thing 
that  he  should  undergo  the  unnccessarv  martvrdoni 
of  imagining  that  he  had  been  superseded  by  Dicky 


I 


U 


u 


il'  ll 


27t) 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


! :'  i; 


''.''     I 


""ij!:: 


ll  I ' 


mi: 


I   p 


])()<!.  On  rcfk'ction,  I  thou^lit  it  would  bo  safer  to  start 
^Mr.  Mjiircrton  on  the  usual  lines,  and  I  nerved  nivself 
to  ask  liini  whether  he  e(>uld  tell  me  anything  about 
the   prehistoric   apitearance   of   these    lovely    mountains. 

"  1  am  glad,"  he  resj)on(le(l  absently,  "  that  you  ad- 
mire my  favourite  Alps/'  Xothing  more.  I  tried  to 
priek  him  to  the  consideration  of  the  scenery  by  asking 
him  which  were  his  favourite  Alps,  but  this  also  came 
to  nothing.  Having  acknowledged  his  approval  of  the 
Alps,  he  seemed  willing  to  let  them  go  unadorned  by 
either  fact  or  fancy.  1  offered  him  sandwiches,  but  he 
seemed  to  prefer  his  moustache.  Presently  he  roused 
himself. 

"  I'm  afraid  you  must  think  me  very  uninteresting, 
Miss  Wick,"  he  said. 

"  Dear  me,  no,"  I  replied.  "  On  the  contrary,  I 
think  you  arc  a  lovely  type." 

"  Type  of  an  Englishman?  "  ^Ir.  ^lafferton  was  not 
disj)leased. 

"  Type  of  some  Englishmen.  You  would  not  care 
to  represent  the — ah,  commercial  cla.^scs?  " 

"  If  I  had  been  born  in  that  station,"  replied  ]\Ir. 
Mafferton  modestly,  "  I  should  be  very  glad  to  repre- 
sent them.  But  I  should  not  care  to  be  a  Labour  candi- 
date." 

"  It  wouldn't  be  very  appropriate,  would  it?  "  I  sug- 
gested. "  But  do  you  ever  mean  to  run  for  anything, 
rcallv?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  Mr.  Mafferton  replied,  with  slight 


A   VOYAGE  or  CONSOLATION. 


277 


not  care 


rcsentiiioiit.  "  In  our  funiilv  wo  novcr  niii.  Hut,  of 
course,  1  will  succeed  uiy  uucle  in  the  I.' )))><'•■  House." 

*'  Dear  me!  "  1  exclaimed.  '*  So  vou  will  I  I  sli(.)uld 
think  it  would  be  simply  lovely  to  i)e  born  a  legislator. 
]n  our  country  it  is  attained  by  such  jiaiiihil  degrees.'* 
It  flashed  upon  me  in  a  moment  why  .Mr.  MailVrtou  was 
so  industrious  in  collecting  general  information.  Ilo 
was  storing  it  up  against  the  day  when  he  would  be  able 
to  make  s])eechos,  which  nobody  could  interrupt,  in  the 
House  of  Lords. 

The  conversation  flagged  again,  and  I  was  driven 
to  comment  U])on  the  appearance  of  the  little  (lerman 
down  in  the  intcricur.  It  was  (juite  remarkable,  apart 
from  the  bloom  on  his  nose,  his  pale-blu(>  eyes  wandered 
so  irresponsibly  in  their  sockets,  and  his  scanty,  flaxen 
beard  made  such  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  disguise  the 
amiability  of  his  chin,  lie  wore  a  braideil  cotton  coat 
to  keep  cool,  and  a  woollen  comforter  to  keep  warm, 
and  from  time  to  time  he  smilingly  invited  the  atten- 
tion of  the  other  three  to  rast  green  maps  of  the  coun- 
try, which  I  could  see  him  apologising  for  spreading 
over  Mrs.  Portheris's  capacious  lap.  It  was  interesting 
to  watch  his  joyons  sense  of  being  in  foreign  society, 
and  his  determination  to  be  agreeable  even  if  he  had  to 
talk  all  the  time.  Now  and  then  a  sentence  bubbled 
up  over  the  noise  of  the  wheels,  as  when  he  had  the 
happiness  to  discover  the  nationalities  of  his  fellow- 
travellers. 

"  Ach,  is  it  so?    From  England,  from  America  also, 


I  ! 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

and  I  from  Markadorf  am!  Four  peoples,  to  sec  zls  so 
beautiful  Switzerland  from  everyveres  in  one  carriage 
we  are  come!  "  lie  smiled  at  them  one  after  another 
in  the  innocent  joy  of  this  wonderful  fact,  and  it  made 
me  quite  unhappy  to  see  how  unresponsive  they  had 
grown. 

"  In  America  I  liaf  one  uncle  got— 


J) 


"  No,  I  don't  know  him,"  said  the  Senator,  who  was 
extremely  tired  of  being  expected  to  keep  up  with  soci- 
ety in  Castle  Garden. 

"  But  before  I  vas  born  going,  mein  uncle  I  myself 
haf  never  seen !  To  Chicago  mit  nossings  he  went,  und 
now  letters  ve  are  always  getting  it  is  goot  saying." 

"Made  money,  has  he?"  poppa  inquired,  with  in- 
difference. 

"  Mit  some  small  flours  of  large  manufacture  sell- 
Dose  small  flours — ze  name  forgotten  I  haf — ze 


mg. 


)> 


breads  making,  ze  cakes  making,  ze  miidsclien— 

"Baking  powder!"  divined  momma. 

"  Bakings — powder!  In  America  it  is  moch  eat. 
So  mine  uncle  Blittens " 

"  Josef  Blittens?  "  exclaimed  poppa. 

"  Blittens  und  Josef  also!  The  name  of  mine  uncle 
to  you  is  known!  He  is  so  rich,  mit  carriage,  piano, 
large  family — he  is  now  famous  also,  hein?  My  goot 
uncle!  " 

"  He's  been  my  foreman  for  fifteen  years,"  said 
poppa,  "  and  I  don't  care  where  he  came  from ;  he's  as 
good  an  American  now  as  there  is  in  the  Union.    I  am 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


279 


to  sec  zis  so 


pleased  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  any  member  of  his 
family.  There's  nothing  in  the  way  of  refreshments  to 
be  got  till  we  next  change  horses,  but  as  soon  as  that 
happens,  sir,  I  hope  you  will  take  something." 

After  that  we  began  to  rattle  down  the  other  side 
of  the  Julier  and  I  lost  the  thread  of  the  conversation, 
but  I  saw  that  Ilerr  Blittens'  determination  to  practise 
English  was  completely  swamped  in  the  Senator's  desire 
to  persuade  him  of  the  advantages  of  emigration. 

"  I  never  see  a  foreigner  in  his  native  land,"  said 
Mr.  Maiferton,  regarding  this  one  with  disapproval, 
"  without  thinking  what  a  pity  it  is  that  any  portion  of 
the  earth,  so  desirable  for  instance  as  this  is,  should 
belong  to  him."  Which  led  me  to  suggest  that  when 
he  entered  political  life  in  his  native  land  Mr.  Maffer- 
ton  should  aim  at  the  Cabinet,  he  was  obviously  so  well 
qualified  to  sustain  British  traditions. 

My  companion's  mind  seemed  to  be  so  completely 
diverted  by  this  prospect  that  I  breathed  again.  He 
could  be  depended  upon  I  knew,  never  to  think  seriously 
of  me  when  there  was  an  opportunity  of  thinking  seri- 
ously of  himself,  and  in  that  certainty  I  relaxed  my 
efforts  to  make  it  quite  impossible  that  anything  should 
happen.  I  forgot  the  contingencies  of  the  situation  in 
finding  whiter  glaciers  and  deeper  gorges,  and  looking 
for  the  Bergamesque  sheep  and  their  shepherds  which 
Baedeker  assured  us  were  to  be  seen  pasturing  on  the 
slopes  and  heights  of  the  Julier  wearing  long  curling 
locks,  mantles  of  brown  wool,  and  peaked  Calabrian 


^'11  I 


1  I 

li 

' 

i  • 

1 

2S0 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


hats.  AVc  grew  quite  frivolous  over  this  phenomenon, 
Avhich  did  not  appear,  and  it  was  only  after  some  time 
that  we  observed  the  Baedeker  to  be  of  1877,  and  de- 
cided that  the  home  of  truth  was  not  in  old  editions. 
It  seemed  to  me  afterwards  that  Mr.  Mafferton  had  been 
waiting  for  his  opportunity;  he  certainly  took  advan- 
tage of  a  very  insufficient  one. 

"  It's  exactly,"  said  I,  talking  of  the  compartments 
of  the  diligence,  ''as  if  Isabel  and  Dicky  had  the  first 
floor  front,  monnna  and  poppa  the  dining  room,  and  you 
and  I  the  second  floor  back." 

It  was  one  of  those  things  that  one  lives  to  repent 
if  one  survives  them  five  seconds;  but  niv  remorse  was 
immediately  swallowed  up  in  consequences.  I  do  not 
propose  to  go  into  the  details  of  Mr,  Mafferton's  second 
attempt  upon  my  insignificant  hand — to  be  precise,  I 
wear  fives  and  a  quarter — but  he  began  by  saying  that 
he  thought  we  could  do  better  than  that,  meaning  the 
second  floor  back,  and  he  mentioned  Park  Lane.  He 
also  said  that  ever  since  Dicky,  doubtless  before  his 
affections  had  become  involved,  had  told  him  that  there 
was  a  possibility  of  my  changing  my  mind — I  was  nearly 
false  to  Dicky  at  this  point — he  had  been  giving  the 
matter  his  best  consideration,  and  he  had  finally  de- 
cided that  it  was  only  fair  that  I  should  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  so.  These  were  not  his  exact  words, 
but  I  can  be  quite  sure  of  my  impression.  AVe  were 
trotting  past  the  lake  at  Maloja  when  this  came  upon 
me,  and  when  I  reflected  that  I  owed  it  about  equally 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


2Sl 


to  poppa  and  to  Dicky  Dod  I  felt  that  I  could  luive 
personally  cnastised  tlieni — could  have  slapped  them 
— both.  What  I  longed  to  do  with  ^Ir.  Alatrerton  was 
to  hurl  him,  figuratively  speaking,  down  an  abyss,  but 
that  would  have  been  to  send  him  into  ^Irs.  Portheris's 
beckoning  arms  next  morning,  and  I  had  little  faith  in 
any  floral  hat  and  pink  bun  once  its  mamma's  commands 
were  laid  upon  it.  I  thought  of  my  cradle  companion 
— not  tenderlv,  I  confess — and  told  ^Ir.  Mailerton  that 
I  didn't  know  what  I  had  done  to  deserve  such  an  lumoiir 
a  second  time,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  pro[)erly  consid- 
ered the  effect  on  Isabel.  I  added  that  1  fancied  Dickv 
was  generalising  about  American  girls  changing  their 
minds,  but  I  would  try  and  see  if  I  had  changed  mine 
and  would  let  him  know  in  six  davs,  at  Harwich.  Anv 
decision  made  on  this  side  of  the  Channel  might  so  easilv 
be  upset.  And  this  I  did  knowing  quite  well  that  Dicky 
and  Isabel  and  I  were  all  to  elope  from  Boulogne,  Dicky 
and  Isabel  for  frivolity  and  I  for  propriety;  for  this  had 
been  arranged.  In  writing  a  descri])tion  of  our  English 
tour  I  do  not  wish  to  exculjiate  myself  in  any  particular. 

We  arrived  late  at  St.  Moritz,  and  the  little  Ger- 
man, on  a  very  fraternal  footing,  was  still  talking  as 
the  party  descended  from  the  inter ienr.  He  spoke  of 
the  butterflies  the  day  before  in  Pontresina,  and  he 
laughed  with  delight  as  he  recounted. 

"  Vortv  mavbe  der  vas,  viftv  der  vas,  mit  der  dili- 
gence  vlying  along;  und  der  brittiest  of  all  I  catch;  he 
vill  come  at  my  nose  " 


.. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Leaving  out  the  scenery — the  Senator  declares  that 
nothing  spoils  a  book  of  travels  like  scenery — the  im- 
pressions of  St.  Moritz  which  remain  with  me  have 
something  of  the  quality,  for  me,  of  the  illustrations  in 
a  French  novel.  I  like  to  consult  them;  they  are  so 
crisp  and  daintily  '^ciined  and  isolated  and  individual. 
Yet  I  can  only  write  about  an  upper  class  German 
mamma  eating  brodchen  and  honey  with  three  fair 
square  daughters,  young,  younger,  youngest,  and  not  a 
flaxen  hair  mislaid  among  them,  and  the  intelligent 
accuracy  with  which  they  looked  out  of  the  window 
and  said  that  it  was  a  horse,  the  horse  was  lame,  and  it 
was  a  pity  to  drive  a  lame  horse.  Or  about  the  two 
American  ladies  from  the  south,  creeping,  wrapped  up 
in  sealskins,  along  the  still  white  road  from  the  Hof  to 
the  Bad,  and  saying  one  to  the  other,  "  Isn't  it  nice 
to  feel  the  sun  on  yo'  back?  "  Or  about ^the  curio  shops 
on  the  ridge  where  the  politest  little  Frenchwomen  en-' 
deavour  to  persuade  you  that  you  have  come  to  the  very 
top  of  the  Engadine  for  the  purpose  of  buying  Japan- 
ese candlesticks  and  Italian  scarves  to  carry  down  again. 

283 


It  was  al 
everythin] 
and  its  It 
trouble  a\| 
can't  des( 
alternativ 
on  St.  Mol 
one  of  Mr 
in  his  life 
warm  wat 
note  of  th' 
"  You  noA 
things  ma 
to  the  eife 
Before 
come  and 
find  a  mer 
rains  who] 
in  which  ^ 
if  you  con 
should  no 
Dukes  of 
do  so.     A\ 
tween  Coi 
Rorshach 


19 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


283 


declares  that 
317 — the  im- 
th  me  have 
ustrations  in 
they  are  so 
1  individuaL 
ass  German 
I   three  fair 
I",  and  not  a 
!  intelligent 
the  window 
ame,  and  it 
)ut  the  two 
wrapped  up 
the  Hof  to 
5n't  it  nice 
curio  shops 
women  en-' 
to  the  very 
ing  Japan- 
own  again. 


It  was  all  so  clear  and  sharp  and  still  at  St.  Moritz; 
everything  drew  a  double  signiticance  from  its  heiglit 
and  its  loneliness.  But,  as  poppa  says,  a  groat  deal  of 
trouble  would  be  saved  if  people  who  feel  that  tlicy 
can't  describe  things  would  be  willing  to  consider  the 
alternative  of  leaving  them  alone;  and  I  will  only  dwell 
on  St.  Moritz  long  enough  to  say  that  it  nearly  shattered 
one  of  Mr.  Maiferton's  most  cherished  principles.  Xever 
in  his  life  before,  he  said,  had  he  felt  inclined  to  take 
warm  water  in  his  bath  in  the  morniug.  He  made  a 
note  of  the  temperature  of  his  tub  to  send  to  the  Times. 
"  You  never  can  tell,"  he  said,  ''  the  effect  these  little 
things  may  have."  I  was  beginulng  to  be  accustomed 
to  the  effect  thev  had  on  me. 

Before  we  got  to  Coire  the  cool  rushing  night  had 
come  and  the  glaciers  had  blotted  tliemselves  out.  I 
find  a  mere  note  against  Coire  to  the  effect  that  it  often 
rains  when  you  arrive  there,  and  also  that  it  is  a  phice 
in  which  you  may  count  on  sleeping  particularly  sound 
if  you  come  by  diligence;  but  there  is  no  reason  why  I 
should  not  mention  that  it  was  uuder  tlie  swav  of  the 
Dukes  of  Swabia  until  1268,  as  momma  wishes  me  to 
do  so.  We  took  the  train  there  for  Constance,  and  be- 
tween Coire  and  Constance,  on  the  Bodensee,  occurre  I 
Rorshach  and  Romanshorn;  but  we  didn't  get  out,  aud, 
as  momma  says,  there  was  nothing  in  the  least  indi- 
vidual about  their  railway  stations.  We  went  on  that 
Bodensee,  however,  I  remember  with  animosity,  taking 

a  small  steamer  at  Constance  for  Xeuhausen.     It  was 
,      19 


i 


I  i! 


n!:i     ! 


284 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


a  gray  and  sulky  Bodcnscc,  full  of  little  dull  waves  and 
a  cold  head  wind  that  never  changed  its  mind  for  a 
moment.  Isabel  and  I  huddled  together  for  comfort 
on  the  very  hard  wooden  seat  that  ran  round  the  deck, 
and  the  depth  of  our  misery  may  be  gathered  from  the 
fact  that,  when  the  wind  caught  Isabel's  floral  hat  under 
the  brim  and  cast  it  suddenlv  into  that  bodv  of  water, 
neither  of  us  looked  round!  Mrs.  Porthv.ris  was  very 
much  annoyed  at  our  unhappy  indiiference.  She  im- 
plied that  it  was  precisely  to  enable  Isabel  to  stop  a 
steamer  on  the  Bodensee  in  an  emergency  of  this  sort 
that  she  had  had  her  taught  German.  Dicky  told  me 
privately  that  if  it  had  happened  a  week  before  he  would 
have  gone  overboard  in  pursuit,  for  the  sake  of  business, 
without  hesitation,  but,  under  the  present  happy  cir- 
cumstances, he  preferred  the  prospect  of  buying  a  new 
hat.  Xothing  else  actually  transpired  during  the  after- 
noon, though  there  were  times  when  other  events  seemed 
as  precipitant,  to  most  of  us,  as  upon  the  tossing  Atlan- 
tic, and  we  made  port  without  having  realised  anything 
about  the  Bodensee,  except  that  we  would  rather  not 
be  on  it. 

Keuhausen  was  the  port,  biit  Schaffhausen  was  of 
course  the  place,  two  or  three  dusty  miles  along  a  river 
the  identity  of  which  revealed  itself  to  Mrs.  Portheris 
through  the  hotel  omnibus  windows  as  an  inspiration. 
"  Do  we  all  fully  understand,"  she  demanded,  "  that  we 
are  looking  upon  the  Rhine  ? "  And  we  endeavoured 
to  do  so,  though  the  Senator  said  that  if  it  were  not  so 


hill  waves  and 
ts  mind  for  a 
r  for  comfort 
►nnd  tlie  deck, 
ercd  from  the 
oral  hat  under 
)odv  of  water, 
icris  was  very 
lice.  She  im- 
ibel  to  stop  a 
'J  of  this  sort 
)icky  told  me 
fore  he  would 
^e  of  business, 
nt  happy  cir- 
3uying  a  new 
ins;  the  after- 
vents  seemed 
ossing  Atlan- 
ised  anvthino; 
d  rather  not 

iusen  was  of 
ilong  a  river 
rs.  Portheris 

inspiration. 

d,  "  that  we 
endeavoured 

were  not  so 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


intimately  connected  with  the  lake  we  had  just  been 
delivered  from  he  would  luive  felt  more  cordial  about 
it.  I  should  like  to  have  it  understood  that  relations 
were  hardly  what  might  be  called  strained  at  this  time 
between  the  Senator  and  myself.  There  were  subjects 
which  we  avoided,  and  we  had  enough  regard  for  our 
dignity,  respectively,  not  to  drop  into  personalities  what- 
ever we  did,  but  we  had  a  modus  vivendi,  we  got  along. 
Dickv  maintained  a  noble  and  i)ained  reserve,  iiivinjr 
poppa  hours  of  thought,  out  of  which  he  emerged  with 
tlie  almost  visible  reliection  that  a  AVick  never  changed 
his  mind. 

There  was  a  garden  with  funny  little  flowers  in  it 
which  went  out  of  fashion  in  America  about  tweutv  vears 
ago.  There  Avas  also  a  chalet  in  the  garden,  where  W(; 
saw  at  once  that  we  could  buy  cuckoo  clocks  and  edel- 
weiss and  German  lace  if  we  wanted  to.  I'here  was  a 
big  hotel  full  of  people  speaking  strange  languages — 
by  this  time  we  all  sympathised  with  Mr.  Mafferton  in 
his  resentment  of  foreigners  in  Continental  hotels;  as 
he  said,  one  expected  them  to  do  their  travelling  in  Eng- 
land. There  were  the  '"  Laufeii  "  foaming  down  the 
valley  under  the  dining  room  windows,  there  were  the 
Swiss  waitresses  in  short  petticoats  and  velvet  bodices 
and  white  chemisettes,  and  at  the  dinner  table,  sitting 
precisely  opposite,  there  were  the  Malts.  ^l\\  ]\ralt,  Mrs. 
Malt,  Emmeline  Malt,  and  Miss  Callis,  not  one  of  them 
missing.  The  Malts  whom  we  had  left  at  Rome,  left  in 
the  same  hotel  with  Count  Filgiatti,  and  to  some  purpose 


28G 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


apparently,  for  seated  attentively  next  to  Mrs.  Malt 
there  also  was  that  diminutive  nobleman. 

As  a  family  we  saw  at  a  glance  that  America  was 
not  likely  to  be  (he  poorer  by  one  Count  in  spite  of  the 
way  we  had  behaved  to  him.  Miss  Callis,  with  four 
thousand  dollars  a  year  of  her  own,  was  going  to  offer 
them  up  to  sustain  the  traditions  of  her  country.  A 
Count,  if  she  could  help  it,  should  not  go  a-begging- 
more  than  twice.  Further  impressions  were  lost  in  the 
shock  of  greeting,  but  it  recurred  to  me  instantly  to  won- 
der whether  Miss  Callis  had  really  gone  into  the  ques- 
tion of  keeping  a  Count  on  that  income,  whether  she 
would  be  able  to  give  him  all  the  luxuries  he  had  been 
brought  up  in  anticipation  of.  It  w'as  interesting  to  ob- 
serve the  slight  embarrassment  \vith  which  Count  Fil- 
giatti  re-encountered  his  earlier  American  vision,  and  his 
re-assurance  when  I  gave  him  the  bow  of  the  most  trav- 
elling of  acquaintances.  Nothing  was  further  from  my 
thoughts  than  interfering.  AVhen  I  considered  the  num- 
ber of  engagements  upon  my  hands  already,  it  made 
me  quite  faint  to  contemplate  even  an  arrangimento  in 
addition  to  them. 

"We  told  the  Malts  where  w^e  had  been  and  tliev  told 
us  where  they  had  been  as  well  as  w^e  could  across  the 
table  without  seeming  too  confidential,  and  after  dinner 
Emmeline  led  the  way  to  the  enclosed  verandah  which 
commanded  the  Falls.  "  Come  along,  ladies  and  gentle- 
men," said  Emmeline,  "  and  see  the  great  big  old  Schaff- 
hausen  Fraud.     Performance  begins  at  nine  o'clock  ex- 


1)1     ij  III  ,^FVipin[|nqpT 


to  Mrs.   Malt 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


2S7 


actly,  and  no  reserve  seats,  so  unless  you  want  to  get  left, 
Mrs.  Portheris,  you'd  better  put  a  hustle  on." 

Miss  ^lalt  had  gone  through  several  [)roeesses  of  an- 
nihilation at  ^Irs.  Portheris's  hands,  and  had  alwavs 
come  out  of  them  so  niueh  livelier  than  ever,  that  our 
Aunt  Caroline  had  abandoned  her  to  America  some  time 
2)reviously. 

"  Emmeline!  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Malt,  ''  you  are  loo 
personal. 

"  She  ought  to  be  sent  to  the  children's  table,"  ]\Irs. 
Portheris  remarked  severely. 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,  Mrs.  Portheris.  I  don't  like 
milk  puddings — they  give  you  a  double  chin.  I  ex[»ect 
you've  eaten  a  lot  of  'em  in  your  time,  haven't  you. 
Mis'  Portheris?  Xow,  Mr.  MaiTerton,  you  sit  here,  and 
you,  Mis'  Wick,  you  sit  here.  That's  right,  Mr.  AVick, 
you  hold  up  the  wall.  I  ain't  proud,  I'll  sit  on  the  floor 
— there  now,  we're  every  one  fixed.  Xo,  Mr.  Dod,  none 
of  us  ladies  object  to  smoking — Mis'  Portheris  smokes 
herself,  don't  you.  Mis'  Portheris?  " 

^'  Emmeline,  if  you  pass  another  remark  to  bed  you 
go!  "  exclaimed  her  mother  with  unction. 

"  I  was  fourteen  the  dav  before  yesterday,  and  you 
don't  send  people  of  fourteen  to  bed.  I  got  a  town  lot 
for  a  birthday  present.  Oh,  there's  the  French  gentle- 
man! Bo7i  soir,  Monsieur!  Comment  va-t-il!  At- 
tendez!"  and  we  were  suddenly  bereft  of  Emme- 
line. 

"  She's  gone  to  play  poker  with  that  man  from  Mar- 


I 


Hi 


'J 
1,1 


ill 


288 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


;,i     ;i!M!l^ 


"    '  'III 


111  rlllllillll 

m 

1 
11 


scIUes,"   reniarkc'd   Mrs.    Malt.      "  llcally,    husband,    I 
don't  know " 

"You  able  to  put  a  limit  on  the  game?"  asked 
poppa. 

Everybody  laughed,  and  ]\rr.  ]\lalt  said  that  it  wasn't 
possible  for  Kmmeline  to  play  for  money  because  she 
never  could  keep  as  much  as  five  francs  in  her  ])osses- 
sion,  but  if  she  did  he'd  think  it  necessary  to  warn  the 
man  from  Marseilles  that  Miss  ^Lalt  knew  the  game. 

"  And  she's  perfectly  right,"  continued  her  father, 
"  in  describing  this  illumination  business  as  a  fraud.  I 
don't  say  it  isn't  pretty  enough,  but  it's  a  fraud  this  way, 
they  don't  give  you  any  choice  about  paying  your  money 
for  it.  Xow  we  didn't  start  boarding  at  this  hotel,  we 
went  to  the  one  down  there  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  AVe  were  very  much  fatigued  when  we  arrived,  and 
e\'ery  member  of  our  party  went  straight  to  bed.  Xext 
day — I  always  call  for  my  bills  daily — what  do  I  find  in 
my  account  but  'Illioninaliun  de  la  chute  de  la  Rhin^ 
one  franc  apiece." 

"  And  you  hadn't  ordered  anything  of  the  kind," 
said  poppa. 

"  Ordered  it?  I  hadn't  even  seen  it!  Well,  I  didn't 
lose  my  temper.  I  took  the  document  down  to  the 
office  and  asked  to  have  it  explained  to  me.  The  ex-  * 
planation  was  that  it  cost  the  hotel  a  large  sum  of 
money.  I  said  I  guessed  it  did,  and  it  was  also  prob- 
ably expensive  to  get  hot  and  cold  water  laid  on,  but 
I  didn't  see  any  mention  of  that  in  the  bill,  though  I 


■••!«■  n;^ 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


2S9 


used  tliC  hot  and  cold  water,  and  didn't  use  the  illumina- 
tion." 

"  That's  so,"  said  pt)j)pa. 

"  Well,  then  the  fellow  said  it  was  done  all  on  my 
account,  or  words  to  that  effeet,  and  that  it  was  a  heau- 
tiful  illumination  and  worth  twice  the  nionev,  and  as 
it  was  the  rule  of  the  hotel  he'd  have  to  trouble  me  for 
the  price  of  it." 

"Did  you  oblij!;e  him^"  asked  poppa. 

"  Yes,  I  did.  I  hated  to  awfuUv,  but  von  never  can 
tell  where  the  law  will  land  you  in  a  foreign  country, 
especially  when  you  can't  converse  with  the  judge,  and 
I  don't  expect  any  stranger  couhl  get  justice  in  SchafT- 
hausen  against  an  hotel  anyway.  But  I  sent  for  my 
party's  trunks,  and  we  moved — down  there  to  that  little 
thing  like  a  castle  overhanging  the  Falls.  It  was  a  castle 
once,  I  believe,  but  it's  a  deception  now,  for  they've 
turned  it  into  an  hotel." 

"  Find  it  comfortable  there?  "  intpiired  the  Senator. 

"  Well,  Fm  telling  you.  Pretty  comfortable.  You 
could  sit  in  the  garden  and  get  as  wet  as  you  liked  from 
the  spray,  and  no  extra  charge;  and  if  you  wanted  to 
eat  apricots  at  the  same  time  they  only  cost  you  a  franc 
apiece.  So  when  I  saw  how  moderate  they  were  every 
way,  I  didn't  think  I'd  have  any  trouble  about  the  illu- 
mination, specially  as  I  heard  that  the  three  hotels  which 
compose  Schaifhausen  subscribed  to  run  the  electric 
plant,  and  I'd  already  helped  one  hotel  with  its  sub- 
scription." 


f 


!'     f:  , 


'f, 


l\ 


t 


I 


t  im' 


M 
ll!  Ill 


wv 


III  ' 


1!    ,il 


! 

K  ill 
ill'l 


1  ''.„ 


m 


'     ii 


ll!     Illlil 

y 


290 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


"  Wlicii  did  y(Hi  move  in  here?"  aakcd  poppa. 

"  1  am  comiiij^'  to  that.  Wt'll,  I  saw  the  sliow  tliat 
night.  1  hai)p('iu'd  to  he  on  nn  outside  balcony  when 
it  came  otF,  and  1  couldn't  help  seeing  it.  I  wouldn't 
let  mvselt"  out  so  far  as  to  enjov  it,  for  fear  it  might 
prejudice  nu'  later,  hut  I  certainly  looked  on.  You 
can't  keep  your  eyes  shut  for  three-cpuirters  of  an  hour 
for  the  sake  of  a  |)rinci|)le  valued  at  a  franc  a  head." 

"  I  expect  you  had  to  pay,"  said  poppa. 

"  You're  so  impatient.  1  looked  coldly  on,  and  be- 
tween the  different  coloured  acts  1  made  a  calcukition 
of  the  amount  the  hotel  o])posite  was  losing  by  its  ex- 
tortion. I  took  considerable  satisfaction  in  doing  it. 
Y^'ou  can  get  excited  over  a  little  tiling  like  that  just  as 
much  as  if  it  were  the  entire  Monroe  Doctrine;  and  I 
couldn't  sleep,  hardly,  that  night  for  thinking  of  the 
things  I'd  say  to  the  hotel  clerk  if  the  illumination  item 
decorated  the  bill  next  day.  Cut  myself  shaving  in  the 
morning  over  it — thing  I  never  do.  AVell,  there  it  was 
— ' lUiuninatioii  de  la  chide  tie  la  llliin,^  same  old 
French  story,  a  franc  apiece. '^ 

"  I  thought,  somehow,  from  what  you've  been  say- 
ing, that  it  would  be  there,"  remarked  the  Senator  pa- 
tiently. 

"  Well,  sir,  I  tried  to  control  myself,  but  I  guess  the 
clerk  would  tell  you  I  was  pretty  wild.  There  wasn't 
an  argument  I  didn't  use.  I  threw  as  many  lights  on 
the  situation  as  they  did  on  the  Falls.  I  asked  him  how 
it  would  be  if  a  person  preferred  his  Falls  plain?    I  told 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


201 


liim  T  paid  liliii  board  and  lod^inu'  for  wliat  Si'liairiiaiiscii 
cMnild  show  liic,  not  for  wliat  I  could  sliow  ScliatVliau.-en. 
1  UfJL'd  llio  wortls  '  pillayc,'  'outrage,'  and  otlicr  nnniis- 
takal)le  terms,  and  I  spoke  of  eonininni('atin«i,'  tlie  nuit- 
ter  to  the  American  Consul  at  lierne." 

''And  after  tliat^"   in([uired  the  Senator. 

"  Oh,  it  wasn't  any  use.  After  that  1  i)aid,  and 
moved.  .Moved  right  u\)  here,  this  nioriung.  IJut  I 
thought  about  it  a  good  deal  on  the  way,  and  concluded 
that,  if  I  wasn't  prepared  to  sample  every  hotel  within 
ten  miles  of  this  cataract  for  tlie  sake  of  not  beinjr  im- 
posed  upon,  I'd  have  to  take  up  a  diH'erent  atlitude.  So 
I  walked  up  to  the  manager  the  minute  we  arrived,  tierce 
as  an  Englishman — beg  your  pardon,  Spiire  Matbrton, 
but  the  British  have  a  ferocious  wav  with  hotel  man- 

t. 

agers,  as  a  rule.  I  didn't  mean  anything  j)ersonal — and 
said  to  him  exactly  as  if  it  was  my  hotel,  and  he  was 
merely  stopping  in  it,  '  Sir,'  I  said,  '  I  understand  that 
the  guests  of  this  hotel  are  allowed  to  subscribe  to  an 
electric  illumination  of  the  Falls  of  the  Rhine.  You 
may  jnit  me  down  for  ten  francs.  Xow  I'm  prepared, 
for  the  first  time,  to  appreciate  the  evening's  entertain- 
ment." 

Shortly  after  the  recital  of  Mr.  ^Malt's  experiences 
the  illumination  began,  and  we  realised  what  it  was  to 
drink  coffee  in  fairyland.  Poppa  advises  me,  however, 
to  attempt  no  description  of  the  Falls  of  Schaffhausen 
by  any  light,  because  "  there,"  he  says,  "  you  will  come 
into  competition  with  Ruskin."     The  Senator  is  per- 


liliH  ! '  i  liMir 


lii! 


f 


& 


ll 


'<  i  I 


1 


^'1      I 


ill 


li 


Wi 


292 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


fectly  satisfied  witli  Ruslvin's  description  of  the  Falls; 
he  says  he  doesn't  believe  much  could  be  added  to  it. 
Though  he  himself  was  somewhat  depressed  by  them, 
lie  found  that  he  liked  them  so  much  better  than  Niag- 
ara. 1  heard  him  myself  tell  five  different  Alpine  climb- 
ers, in  precise  figures,  how  much  more  water  went  over 
our  own  cataract. 

It  was  discovered  that  evening  that  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Malt,  and  Ennneline,  and  Miss  Callis  and  the  Count 
were  going  on  to  Heidelberg  and  down  the  Rhine  by 
precisely  the  same  train  and  steamer  that  we  had  our- 
selves selected.  Mrs.  Malt  was  looking  forward  to  the 
ruins  on  the  embattled  Rhine  with  all  the  enthusiasm 
we  liad  expended  ujion  Venice,  but  Mr.  Malt  declared 
himself  so  full  of  the  picturescpie  already  that  he  didn't 
'vnow  how  he  was  going  to  hold  another  castle. 


lVi|««liJiau.lM 


of  the  Falls; 
:  a(ld(3d  to  it. 
icd  by  them, 
-T  than  Xiag- 
ilpine  climb- 
er went  over 

Ir.  and  Mrs. 
1  the  Count 
le  Rhine  by 
we  had  our- 
'ward  to  the 
'  enthusiasm 
[alt  declared 
lat  he  didn't 
3tle. 


CIIAPTER  XXY. 

^Ve  were  on  our  way  from  Basle  to  Heidelberg,  I  re- 
member, and  Mr.  ^lalt  was  commeiitiug  sarcastically 
upon  Swiss  resources  for  naming  towns  as  exemplitied 
in  "  Xeuhausen."  ''  There's  a  lot  about  this  country," 
said  Mr.  Malt,  ''  that  reminds  you  of  the  world  as  it 
appeared  about  the  time  you  built  it  for  yourself  every 
dav  with  blocks,  and  made  it  livelv  with  animals  out  of 
vour  Xoah's  Ark.  I  can't  sav  what  it  is,  but  that's  a 
sample  of  it — '  Xew  Houses ! '  What  a  baby  baa-lamb 
name  for  a  town!  It  would  settle  the  municii)ality  in 
our  part  of  the  world — any  railway  would  nud^e  a  cir- 
cuit of  liftv  miles  to  avoid  it!  " 

Mr.  Mafferton  and  I  had  paused  in  our  conversation, 
and  these  remarks  reached  us  in  full.  They  gave  him 
the  opportunity  of  bending  a  s^'mpathetic  glance  upon 
me  and  saying,  "  How  graphic  your  countrymen  are. 
Miss  Wick."  Cologne  was  only  three  days  off,  but  ^Ir. 
]\Iaiferton  never  departed  from  the  proprieties  in  his 
form  of  address.  He  was  in  that  respect  quite  the  most 
docile  and  respectful  person  I  have  ever  found  it  neces- 
sary to  keep  in  suspense. 

I  said  the}^  were  not  all  as  pictorial  as  Mr.  Malt,  and 

293 


▼IT'  f"  wrf.-r"  • 


I   Ml 


3 '  i 


I    ! 


i 


!!■     'ii  ■" 


1 

'''II' 
'ill 

iii; ill  Hill II 


tij 


i 


*:■" !     1 


! 


alt  '   '  >''!  I 
l||''iUl!l  !i 

III 


294 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


noticed  that  his  eye  was  wandering.  It  had  wandered 
to  Miss  Callis,  who  was  snubbing  the  Count,  and  look- 
ing wonderfully  well.  I  don't  know  whether  I  have 
mentioned  that  she  had  blue  eyes  and  black  hair,  but 
her  occui)ation,  of  course,  would  be  becoming  to  any- 
body. 

"  And  for  the  matter  of  that  your  countrywomen, 
too,"  said  Mr.  Maiferton.  "  I  am  much  gratified  to  have 
the  opportunity  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  another 
of  them  in  this  unexpected  way.  I  find  your  friend. 
Miss  Callis,  a  charming  creature." 

She  wasn't  my  friend,  but  the  moment  did  not  seem 
opportune  for  saying  so. 

"  I  saw  you  talking  a  good  deal  to  her  yesterday," 
I  said. 

Mr.  Mafferton  twisted  his  moustache  with  a  look  of 
guilt}'  satisfaction  which  I  found  hard  to  bear.  ''  Must 
I  cry  Pcccavi? '^  he  said.  "You  see  you  were  so — er 
— preoccupied.  You  said  you  would  rather  hear  about 
the  growth  of  the  Swiss  Confederacy  and  its  relation 
to  the  Helvetia  of  the  Ancients  another  day." 

"  That  was  quite  true,"  I  said  indignantly. 

"  I  found  Miss  Callis  anxious  to  be  informed  with- 
out delay,"  said  Mr.  Mafferton,  with  a  slightly  rebuking 
accent.  "  She  has  a  very  open  mind,"  he  went  on 
musingly. 

"  Oh,  wonderfully,"  I  said. 

"  And  a  highly  retentive  memory.  It  seems  she 
was  shown  over  our  place  in  Surrey  last  summer.     She 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


295 


til  a  look  of 


described  it  to  me  in  the  most  perfect  detail.  She  must 
be  very  observant." 

^'  She's  as  observant  as  ever  she  can  be/'  I  remarked. 
"  I  expect  she  could  describe  you  in  the  most  perfect 
detail  too,  if  she  tried."  I  sweetened  this  with  an  ex- 
terior smile,  but  1  felt  extremelv  rude  inside. 

"  Oh,  I  fear  I  could  not  Hatter  mvself — but  how 
interesting  that  would  be!  One  has  alwavs  had  a  de- 
sire  to  know  the  impression  one  makes  as  a  whole,  so 
to  speak,  upon  a  fresh  and  unsophisticated  young  intelli- 
gence like  that." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  there  isn't  anv  reason  wliv  vou 

7  7  f'  t  V 

shouldn't  find  out  at  once."  For  the  Count  had  melted 
away,  and  Miss  Callis  was  not  nearly  so  much  occupied 
with  her  novel  as  she  appeared  to  be. 

Mr.  Mafferton  rose,  and  again  stroked  his  moustache, 
with  a  quizzical  disciplinary  air. 

"  Oh  woman,  in  your  hours  of  ease 
Uncertain,  coy,  and  hard  to  please ! " 

he  quoted.  "  You  are  a  very  whimsical  young  lady, 
but  since  you  send  me  away  I  must  abandon  you." 

"  Thanks  so  much!  "  I  said.  "  I  mean — 1  have  my- 
self to  blame,  I  know,"  and  as  ^Ir.  ^[aflPerton  droi)ped 
into  the  seat  opposite  ^[iss  Callis  I  saw  ^Irs.  Portheris 
regard  him  austerely,  as  one  for  whom  it  was  possible  to 
make  too  much  allowance. 

In  connection  with  Heidelberg  I  wish  there  were 
something  authentic  to  say  about  Perkeo;  but  nobody 
would  believe  the  quantity  of  wine  he  is  supposed  to 


290 


A   VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


have  drunk  in  a  day,  which  is  the  statement  oftenest 
made  about  him,  so  it  is  of  no  conse(iuence  that  I  have 
forgotten  the  number  of  bottles,  lie  isn't  the  patron 
saint  of  Heidelberg,  because  he  only  lived  about  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ago,  and  the  first  qualification  for 
a  patron  saint  is  antiquity.  As  poppa  says,  there  may 
be  elderly  gentlemen  in  Heidelberg  now  whose  grand- 
fathers have  warned  them  against  the  personal  habits 
of  Perkeo  from  actual  observation.  Also  we  know  that 
he  was  a  court  jester,  and  the  pages  of  the  Calendar, 
for  some  reason,  are  closed  to  persons  in  that  walk  of 
life.  Judging  by  the  evidences  of  his  poi)ularity  that 
survive  on  all  sides,  ^Ir.  Malt  declared  that  he  was  ])rob- 
ablv  worth  more  to  the  town  in  attracting  residents  and 
investors  than  half-a-dozen  patron  saints,  and  in  this 
there  may  have  been  more  truth  than  reverence.  The 
Elector  Charles  Philip,  whose  court  he  jested  for,  cer- 
tainly made  no  such  mark  upon  his  town  and  time  as 
Perkeo  did,  and  in  that,  perhaps,  there  is  a  moral  for 
sovereigns,  although  the  Senator  advises  me  not  to  dwell 
upon  it.  At  all  events,  one  writes  of  Heidelberg  but 
one  thinks  of-  Perkeo,  as  he  swings  from  the  sign-boards 
of  the  Ilaupt-Strasse,  and  stands  on  the  lids  of  the  beer 
mugs,  and  smiles  from  the  extra-mural  decoration  of  the 
wine  shops,  and  lifts  his  glass,  in  eternally  good  wooden 
fellowship,  beside  the  big  Tun  in  the  Castle  cellar. 
There  is  a  Hotel  Perkeo,  there  nuist  be  Clubs  Perkeo, 
probably  a  suburb  and  steamboats  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  local  oath  "  Per  Perkeo!  "  has  a  harmless  sound, 


iiont  ofteiiest 
c  that  I  have 
't  the  patron 
about  a  liUM- 
ilification  for 
s,  there  may 
vhose  grancl- 
fsonal  liabits 
-e  know  tliat 
le  Calendar, 
hi\t  walk  of 
)ularitv  that 
;ie  was  ])rob- 
esidents  and 
Emd   in   this 
■once.     The 
?d 


for,  cer- 


IH 


1  time  as 
moral  for 
ot  to  dwell 
Iberg  but 
gn-boards 
tlie  beer 
ion  of  the 
1  wooden 
le   cellar. 
Perkeo, 
le  name, 
ss  sound, 


«r 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


297 


but  nothing  could  be  more  binding  in  Heidelberg. 
Momma  thought  his  example  a  very  unfortunate  one  for 
a  Universitv  town,  but  the  rest  of  us  were  inclined  to 
admire  Perkeo  as  a  self-made  man  and  a  success.  As 
Dicky  protested  he  had  made  the  fullest  use  of  the  ca- 
pacities Xature  had  given  him,  it  was  evident  from  his 
figure  that  he  had  even  developed  them,  and  what  more 
profitable  course  should  the  (lerman  youth  follow^  lie 
was  cheerful  evervwhere — as  the  forerunner  of  the 
comic  paper  one  supposes  lie  had  to  be — but  most  im- 
pressive in  his  effigy  by  his  master's  wine  vat,  in  the 
perpetual  aroma  that  most  ins])ired  him,  where,  by  a 
mechanical  arrangement  inside  him,  he  still  makes  a 
joke  of  sorts,  in  somewhat  graceless  aspersion  of  the 
methods  of  the  professional  humorists.  Ennneline  found 
him  very  like  her  father,  and  confided  her  imprei^sion'to 
]\Irs.  Malt.  "  But  of  course,"  she  added  condoningly, 
"  poppa  was  different  when  you  married  liim." 

Perkeo  was  not  so  sentimental  as  the  Trumpeter  of 
Sakkingen,  and  the  Trumpeter  of  Sakkiiigen  was  not  so 
sentimental  as  the  Heidelberg  University  student.  The 
Heidelberg  University  student  was  as  a  rule  very  round 
and  very  young,  and  he  seemed  to  give  up  the  whole 
of  his  spare  time  to  imitating  the  passion  which  I  hope 
has  not  been  permitted  to  enter  too  largely  into  this 
book  of  travels. 

Dicky  and  I  agreed  that  it  was  a  mere  imitation; 
that  is,  Dicky  said  it  was  and  I  agreed.  It  could  not 
possibly   amount    to   anything   more,    for   it    consisted 


1 


;;. 


I 


il  !!iili 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 

in  walking  up  and  down  in  front  of  the  lioiise 
its  object  lived.  AVe  saw  it  being  done,  and 
it  looked  so  uninteresting  that  we  failed  to  realise  what 
it  meant  until  we  inquired.  Mrs.  Portheris's  nephew, 
Mr.  Jarvis  Portlieris,  who  was  acquiring  German  in 
Heidelberg,  told  us  about  it.  Mrs.  Portheris's  nephew 
was  just  fourteen  and  small  of  his  age,  but  he,  too,  had 
selected  the  lady  of  his  adnuration,  and  was  taking  regu- 
lar daily  pedestrian  exercise  in  front  of  her  residence. 
He  pointed  out  the  residence,  and  obser\'ed  with  an 
enormous  frown  that  ''  another  man  "  had  usurped  the 
pavement  in  his  absence,  and  was  doing  it  in  quick  step 
doubtless  to  show  his  ardour.  ''  He's  a  beastlv  German 
too,"  said  l[rs.  Portheris's  nephew,  "  so  I  can't  chal- 
lenge him,  but  I'll  jolly  well  punch  his  head." 

"  Come  on,"  said  Dickv,  "  vou'd  better  steadv  your 
nerves,"  and  treated  him  liberallv  to  c;inc;er-beer  and 
currant  buns;  but  we  were  not  allowed  to  see  the  en- 
counter, which  Mr.  Jarvis  Portlieris,  gratefully  satiate, 
assured  us  must  be  conducted  on  strict  lines  of  etiquette, 
with  formal  preliminaries.  He  was  so  very  young,  and 
obviously  knew^  so  little  about  wdiat  he  was  doing,  that 
we  questioned  him  with  some  delicacy,  but  we  discovered 
that  the  practice  had  no  parallel,  as  Dicky  put  it,  for 
lack  of  incident.  It  was  accompanied  in  some  cases  by 
the  w^riting  of  poetry,  "  German  poetry,  of  course,"  said 
Mrs.  Portheris's  nephew  ineffably,  but  even  that  w^as 
more  likely  to  be  exhibited  as  evidence  of  the  writer's 
fervid  state  of  mind  than  to  be  sent  to  its  object,  who 


I 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


299 


of  the  lioiise 
iig  done,  and 
>  realise  wliat 
ris's  nei^liew, 
:  German  in 
?ris's  nephew 
he,  too,  had 
taking  regu- 
er  residence, 
ved   witli  an 
usurped  the 
in  quick  step 
stly  German 
[  can't  chal- 
ad." 

steady  your 
er-beer  and 
see  the  en- 
ully  satiate, 
etiquette, 
roung,  and 
h)ing,  that 
liscoyered 
put  it,  for 
le  cases  by 
nrse,"  said 
that  \yas 
le  writer's 
bject,  who 


plaited  her  hair  and  attended  to  her  domestic  duties  as 
if  nobody  were  in  the  street  but  the  fishmonger.  In 
Mr.  Jaryis  Portheris's  case  he  did  not  know  the  colour 
of  her  eyes,  or  the  number  of  her  years;  he  had  selected 
her,  it  seemed,  at  a  yenturc,  in  church,  from  a  rear  yiew, 
sitting;  and  had  neyer  seen  her  since.  Dicky,  whoso 
predilections  of  this  sort  haye  always  been  very  active, 
asked  him  seriously  why  he  adhered  to  such  a  hollow 
mockery,  and  he  said  regretfully  that  a  fellow  more  or 
less  had  to;  it  was  one  of  the  beastly  nuisancer  of  being 
educated  abroad.  But  from  what  we  saw  of  the  German 
temperament  generally  we  were  convinced  that  as  ji  na- 
tive demonstration  it  was  sincere,  and  that  its  idiocy 
arose  only,  as  Dicky  exi)ressed  it,  from  the  remarkable 
lack»in  foreigners  of  business  capacity. 

AVe  all  congratulated  ourselves  on  seeing  Heidelberg 
■while  the  University  was  in  session,  and  we  could  ob- 
serve  the  large  fat  students  in  flat  blue  and  pink  and 
green  club  caps,  swaggering  about  the  town  accompanied 
by  dogs  of  almost  equal  importance.  The  largest  and 
fattest,  I  thought,  wore  ^yhIte  caps,  and,  though  ]\Ir. 
Jarvis  Porthcris  said  that  white  was  the  most  aristocratic 
club's  colour,  they  looked  remarkably  like  bakers.  The 
Senator  had  an  object  in  Heidelberg,  as  he  had  in  so 
many  places,  and  that  object  was  to  investigate  the  prac- 
tice of  duelling,  which  everybody  understands  to  prevail 
to  a  deadly  extent  among  the  students.  It  was  plain 
from  their  appearance  that  personal  assault  at  all  events 

was  regrettably  common,  for  nearly  everyone  of  them 
20 


!* 


Hill 


iiiililillil!    I 


1 1| 


300 


A  VOYxVGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


wore  traces  of  it  in  their  faces,  wore  them  as  if  they  were 
particularly  becoming.  Every  variety  of  scar  that  could 
well  be  imagined  was  represented,  some  healed,  some 
healing,  and  some  freshly  gory.  The  youth  with  the 
most  scars,  we  observed,  gave  himself  the  most  airs,  and 
the  really  vainglorious  were,  more  or  less,  obscured  in 
cotton-wool,  evidently  just  from  the  hands  of  the  sur- 
geon. The  Senator  examined  them  individually  as  they 
passed,  with  an  inquisitiveness  which  the\'  plainly  en- 
joyed, and  was  much  impressed  with  their  fighting  quali- 
ties as  a  race,  until  Mr.  Jarvis  Portheris  happened  to 
explain  that  the  scars  were  very  carefully  given  and  re- 
ceived with  an  almost  exclusive  view  to  personal  adorn- 
ment. Mr.  Mafferton  apjDcared  to  have  known  this  be- 
fore; but  that  was  an  irritating  way  he  had — none  of 
the  rest  of  us  did.  The  Senator  regarded  the  next  vouth 
he  met,  who  had  elongated  his  mouth  to  run  up  into  his 
ear  without  adding  in  the  least  to  his  charms  of  appear- 
ance, with  barely  disguised  contempt,  and  when  Mr. 
Jarvis  Portheris  proceeded  to  explain  how  the  doctors 
pulled  open  the  cuts  if  they  promised  to  heal  without 
leaving  any  sign  of  valour,  poppa's  impatience  with  the 
noble  army  of  duellists  grew  so  great  that  he  could 
hardly  remain  in  Heidelberg  till  the  train  was  ready  to 
take  him  a  way. 

"  But  don't  they  ever  by  accident  do  themselves  any 
harm?"  inquired  my  disappointed  parent. 

"  There's  one  case  on  record,"  said  Mr.  Jands  Por- 
theris, "  and  everybody  here  says  it's  true.    One  fellow 


that! 
was 
slicel 
—I 
low', 
genel 
be  aJ 
but  \\ 
The:> 
l| 
mistal 
reconi 
Heidc 


i  if  they  were 
;ar  that  could 
healed,  some 
Lith  with  the 
iiost  airs,  and 
obscured  in 
s  of  the  sur- 
ually  as  they 
.'  plainly  en- 
ghting  quali- 
liap})encd  to 
!,iven  and  re- 
ason al  adorn- 
own  this  be- 
ad— none  of 
e  next  vouth 
1  up  into  his 
IS  of  appear- 
when  Mr. 
the  doctors 
eal  without 
ce  with  the 
t  he  could 
as  ready  to 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


301 


that  was  fighting-  hapi)enod  to  have  a  dog,  and  the  dog 
was  allowed  in.  Well,  the  other  fellow,  by  accident, 
sliced  off  the  end  of  the  fellow  that  had  the  dog's  nose 
— I  don't  mean  the  dog's  nose,  you  know,  but  the  fel- 
low's. That  was  going  a  bit  far,  you  know;  they  don't 
generally  go  so  far.  Well,  the  doctor  said  that  would 
be  all  right,  they  could  easily  make  it  grow  on  again; 
but  when  they  looked  for  the  nose — Uie  dog  had  eaten  it! 
They  never  allow  dogs  in  now." 

It  was  a  simple  little  story,  and  it  bore  marks  of  un- 
mistakable age  and  many  aliases,  but  it  did  much  to 
reconcile  the  Senator  to  the  University  student  of 
Heidelberg,  and  especially  to  his  dog. 


I 


iselvcs  any 


rarvis  Por- 
>ne  fellow 


'■^»pf"^»"w^ 


'l  I 


iipii  'III 


CnAPTER  XXVI. 

Emmeline  had  childlike  lapses;  she  rejoiced  greatly, 
for  instance,  at  seeing  a  Strasbourg  stork.  She  con- 
fessed, when  she  saw  it,  to  having  read  Hans  Andersen 
when  she  was  a  little  girl,  and  was  happy  in  the  resem- 
blance of  the  tall  chimneys  he  stood  on,  and  the  Iiigli- 
pitched  red  roofs  he  surveyed,  to  the  pictures  she  remem- 
bered. But,  for  that  matter,  so  were  we  all.  We  had 
an  hour  and  a  half  at  Strasbourg,  and  we  drove,  of 
course,  to  the  Cathedral;  but  it  was  the  stork  that  we 
saw,  and  that  each  of  us  privately  considered  the  really 
valuable  impression.  He  stood  beside  his  nest  with  his 
chin  sunk  in  his  neck,  looking  immensely  lucky  and 
wise,  and  one  quite  agreed  with  Emmeline  that  it  must 
be  lovely  to  live  under  him. 

We  lunched  at  the  station,  and,  as  the  meal  pro- 
gressed, saw  again  how  widespread  and  sincere  is  the 
German  sentiment  to  which  I  alluded,  perhaps  too  light- 
ly, in  the  last  chapter.  Our  waitresses  were  all  that 
could  be  desired,  until  there  came  between  us  and  them 
a  youth  from  parts  without.  He  was  sallow,  and  the 
waitresses  were  buxom;  he  might  have  been  a  student 

of  law  or  medicine,  they  were  naturally  of  much  lower 

SOS 


dej 

sidl 

rad| 

be( 

othl 

un( 

lool 


futi 


ii 


: 


"^^^^^r^BOw 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


303 


joiced  greatly, 
'k.  She  c'oii- 
iins  Andersen 
in  the  resem- 
and  the  high- 
es  she  remem- 
all.  We  had 
we  drove,  of 
^itork  that  we 
ed  the  really 
nest  with  his 
Y  lucky  and 
that  it  must 

e  meal  pro- 
ncere  is  the 
ps  too  light- 
ere  all  that 
IS  and  them 
)w,  and  the 
Q  a  student 
nuch  lower 


degree.  But  they  frankly  forsook  us  and  sat  down  be- 
side him  in  terms  of  devotion  and  an  open  aspect  of 
radiant  hapinness.  When  one  went  to  draw  his  lager 
beer  he  put  an  unrepelled  arm  round  the  waist  of  the 
other,  and  when  the  first  came  back  he  chucked  her 
under  the  chin  with  undisguised  affection,  the  while  wo 
looked  on  and  starved,  none  knowing  the  language  ex- 
cept Isabel,  who  thought  of  nothing  but  blushing.  As 
Mr.  Malt  said,  if  the  young  man  could  only  have  mado 
up  his  mind,  we  might  have  been  able  to  get  along  with 
the  rejected  one;  but,  apparently,  he  was  not  in  the  least 
embarrassed  by  numbers,  sending  a  large  and  beguiling 
smile  to  yet  a  further  hand-maiden,  who  passed  envi- 
ously through  the  speise-salle  with  a  basin  of  soup.  It 
was  only  when  Dicky  stalked  across  to  the  old  woman 
who  sold  sausages  and  biscuits  behind  a  counter,  and 
pointed  indignantly  to  the  person  who  held  all  the  avail- 
able table  service  of  the  Strasbourg  railway  station  on  his 
knees,  that  we  obtained  redress.  The  old  woman  laughed 
as  if  it  were  amusing,  and  called  the  maidens  shrilly; 
but  even  then  they  came  with  reluctance,  as  if  we  had 
been  mere  schnapps  instead  of  ten  complete  luncheons, 
one  soup,  and  a  bread  and  cheese,  as  Dicky  said.  The 
bread  and  cheese  was  the  Count,  and  one  gathered  from 
it  that  the  improvement  in  his  immediate  prospects  was 
not  yet  assured,  that  the  arrangimento  was  still  in 
futuro. 

We  had  become  such  a  large  party,  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  relate  the  whole  of  our  experiences  even  in  the 


I 


I  .;1m 


304: 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


i 


half  hour  durinj^  whlcli  we  dawdlccl  round  the  Stras- 
bourg waiting-room  until  the  train  should  start.  I  know 
it  was  then,  for  instance,  that  Mrs.  Portheris  took  Dieky 
aside  and  told  him  how  deeply  she  sympathised  with  him 
in  his  trying  position,  juid  bade  him  only  be  faithful  to 
the  dictates  of  his  own  heart  and  all  would  come  right 
in  time.  I  know  Dicky  promised  faithfully  to  do  so,  but 
I  must  not  dwell  upon  it.  Nor  is  the  opportunity  ade- 
quate to  express  the  indignation  we  all  felt,  and  not 
Mr.  MafFerton  merely,  at  the  insulHcient  personal  im- 
pression we  made  upon  the  German  railway  officials. 
They  were  so  completely  preoccupied  with  their  magnifi- 
cent selves  and  their  vast  business  that,  they  were  un- 
able even  to  look  at  us  when  we  asked  them  questions, 
and  their  sole  conception  of  a  reply  was  an  order,  in 
terms  that  sounded  brutal  to  a  degree.  They  were  ob- 
jectionably burly  and  red  in  the  face;  they  wore  an 
offensive  number  of  buttons  and  straps  upon  their  uni- 
forms. As  My.  Mafferton  said,  they  utterly  miscon- 
ceived their  position  in  life,  attempting  to  Kaiser  the 
travelling  public  by  Divine  right  instead  of  recognising 
themselves  as  humble  servants,  buttoned  only  to  l3e  made 
more  agreeable  to  the  eye. 

One  such  person  trampled  upon  us  to  such  an  extent 
that  I  have  never  been  able  to  satisfy  myself  that  the 
Senator  was  sincere  in  making  his  little  mistake.  We 
were  sitting  in  dejected  rows,  with  a  number  of  other 
foreigners  wdio  had  been  similarly  reduced,  when  this 
official  entered  the  waiting-room,  advanced  to  the  mid- 


N. 


A  VOYAGE  OF  COXSOLATION. 


305 


unci  the  Stras- 

start.  I  know 
.'lis  took  JJic'ky 
liisc'd  with  liim 

be  faithful  to 
lid  come  right 
y  to  do  so,  but 
portunity  ade- 

felt,  and  not 
:  personal  im- 
Iway  officials, 
their  magnifi- 
hey  were  un- 
em  questions, 

an  order,  in 
hey  were  ob- 
licy  wore  an 
on  their  uni- 
erly  miscon- 
Kaiser  the 
recognising 
to  Le  made 

!h  an  extent 
If  that  the 

stake.     We 

er  of  other 
when  this 

0  the  mid- 


dle of  it,  posed  with  groat  majesty,  and  emitted  several 
bars  of  a  kind  of  chant  or  chime.  It  was  delivered  with 
too  much  vigour,  and  it  stopped  too  al)rui)tly,  to  be  en- 
tirely enjoyable;  but  there  was  no  doubt  about  the 
musical  intention.  It  was  not  even  intoning;  it  was 
singing,  beginning  with  moderation,  going  ou  stronger 
with  indignation,  and  ending  suddenly  in  a  crescendo 
of  denunciation. 

AVe  smiled  in  difficult  self-restraint  as  he  went  away, 
and  Dicky  renuirked  that  he  sui)po8ed  we  were  in  their 
hands,  we  couldn't  object  to  anything  they  did  to  us. 
In  live  minutes  he  came  back  to  exactly  the  same  spot 
and  sang  again  the  same  words,  in  the  same  key,  with 
the  same  unction.  "Encore!"  exclaimed  ]\Ir.  ^lalt 
boldlv,  but  cowered  under  the  glare  that  was  turned 
upon  him,  and  utterly  fell  away  when  we  reminded  him 
of  the  punishments  attached  in  Germany  to  the  charge 
of  lese  majesie.  Precisely  five  minutes  more  passed  away, 
and  Bawlinbuttons,  as  j\[iss  Callis  called  him,  entered 
again.  Then  occurred  the  Senator's  little  mistake.  In 
the  midst  of  the  second  bar,  the  indignant  one,  Bawlin- 
buttons stop})ed  short,  petrified  by  poppa,  who  had  ad- 
vanced and  was  holding  out  copper  coins  whose  useful- 
ness we  had  left  behind  us,  to  the  value  of  about  fifteen 
cents. 

"  Here's  the  collection,"  said  poppa  benevolently — 
for  an  instant  or  two  he  was  quite  audible — "  but  unless 
you  know  some  other  tune  the  company  wish  me  to  say 
that  they  won't  trouble  you  any  further:" 


hii'i 


III 


30"  A  roTAGE  OF  CO.VSOMTIO,.. 

natural  enougl,  t],af  no^^     ,        "  '"'''"'='  '"'d  i*  waa 

^««r  should  never  be  misUkol  "^'''  "'^*  « 

""reJy  because  his  t.sto/!  ""  °'-g«n-gri,uIer, 

^"f.  that  the  various  t;:;:;:"^-'-     ^^^-''W  is  it' 
wfonnation  will  ever  und2  '"" '™"»S  ^"  "'o 

inent  that  the  ;r.i„  fo   t"f' "^  "•''>■  "'«  a.mo„„ee- 
-d  Mayenee  wouW  leave    r;"""',  '''""'''  ^""^ort, 
--'  .■ou.pleted  for  t  J  ^JT.  ^  ^"»*  "--'.  -s 
regulation.     B„t  we  have  Ift      "''  """'"^'"S  *«  the 
Bawh,,b.utons  did  with  the     ;;r^^^^^    siuee  what 
^^^e  divided  un  on  fhn 

^-  Malt  ea.e  il  tl    ir  '!  ''''"""^'  ""''  ^^^^  -<1 
-on^a,  and  n,e.    Mr  AI T'         ''"*  "'*  "'«  ^--tor, 
'•-enge  on  Bawlinbut'tc^t  IL"  """""^'"''  "*''  1-PPa's 
-vl^ward  further  for  Z^'^rT  '".  "''''  *'""«^ 
done  very  simplv,  by  .  d,t!  ''"■  '*  <^°"W  bo 

-d  the  Senatrr'a's  t'o  ll  ZT"  •  'f"'"""  '^^^ 
open  or  shut.  He  said  he  ]Jl  ,  ?*"^'  ^''""'d  l-o 
P;t  to  the  «ost  enjoyable  X^'  st' T^"  '"''' 
Inowing  the  language  of  tl,„  T-        '^  "  ''"^^"te,  not 

'»  -Wtrate  n,.:  tC  ^  1  J''"'?'^ -■"''  "^""^'fo-d 
i«d  'a..gbed  at  the  S  natTrl  •  T  "■""*•  '^^-  ^"'t 
--0,  had  to  assist  a  T^  ?'  V'^  «-»'->  of 
work  themselves  up,  as  mI   Tu'  '"''  ^"^  ^^S""  to 

"^^t.  ^r.  Malt  wSt:i::;^,t::f;"r'"o  spirit 

tuar  tlie  windows  should 


never  rectified, 
lie  platform  as 
311S,  and  it  was 
0  comprehend 
effect  that  a 
organ-grinc!er, 
Neither  is  it 
waiting  for  the 
he  annoimce- 
y,  Frankfort, 
precisely  was 
>rding  to  the 
d  since  what 

and  Mr.  and 

the  Senator, 

with  poppa's 

make  things 

it  could  be 

?on  Iiimself 

5  slioiild  be 

•man  guard 

ispute,  not 

ing  forced 

^fr.  Malt 

ienator,  of 

began  to 

the  spirit 

s  should 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


307 


be  shut,  he  said  he  had  got  a  trifling  cold,  and  the  Sena- 
tor V  ^s  to  require  them  open  in  the  interests  of  ventila- 
tion. They  rehearsed  their  arguments,  and  momma 
putting  her  head  out  of  the  window  at  the  first  small 
station  cried,  "  Be  quick  and  change  your  exi^ressiona 
— he's  coming!  " 

In  the  i)resence  of  the  guard  Mr.  Malt  rose  with  dig- 
nity and  closed  the  windows.  The  Senator,  with  a  well- 
simulated  scowl,  at  once  opened  them  both. 

^'  Stranger!  "  said  Mr.  Malt,  while  momma  fumbled 
for  her  ticket,  "  I  shut  those  windows." 

"  Sir,"  responded  poppa,  '^  if  you  had  not  done  so  I 
shouldn't  have  been  obliged  to  open  them." 

"  I  can't  die  of  pneumonia,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Malt,  again 
closing  the  window,  "  to  oblige  7/o/<." 

"  Xor  do  I  feel  compelled,"  returned  the  Senator 
furiously,  "  to  asphyxiate  my  family  to  make  it  com- 
fortable for  you!  "  and  the  window  fell  with  a  bang. 

The  guard,  holding  out  a  massive  hand  for  my  ticket, 
took  no  notice  whatever. 

"  Put  it  up  again,"  said  Mrs.  Malt,  who  was  more 
anxious  than  any  of  us  to  avenge  herself  upon  the  Ger- 
man railway  system,  "  and  try  to  break  the  glass." 

"  Attract  his  attention,  Alexander,"  said  momma. 
"  Pull  one  of  his  silly  buttons  off." 

The  guard  gave  no  sign — he  was  replacing  the  elas- 
tic round  my  book  of  coupons  after  detaching  the 
green  one  -^^  which  was  printed,  "  Strasburg  nach 
Mainz." 


303 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


Poppa  and  Mr.  Malt  were  sitting  opposite  each  other 
in  the  middle  of  the  carriage. 

"  I  tell  you  I've  got  bronchial  trouble,  and  I  won't 
be  manslaughtered,"  cried  Mr.  Malt,  hurling  himself 
upon  the  strap,  while  poppa  seized  the  guard  by  the  arm 
and  pointed  to  the  closed  window.  The  only  foreign 
language  with  which  poppa  is  acquainted  is  that  used 
by  the  Indians  on  the  banks  of  the  Saguenay  river,  a  few 
words  of  which  he  acquired  while  salmon  hsliing  there 
two  years  ago.  These  he  poured  forth  upon  the  guard 
— they  were  the  only  ones  that  occurred  to  him,  he  said 
— at  the  same  time  threatening  with  his  disengaged  fist 
bodily  assault  upon  Mr.  Malt. 

"  That  ought  to  draw  him,"  said  Mrs.  Malt. 

It  did  draw  him. 

"  Leave  go!  "  he  said  to  poppa,  and  his  air  of  au- 
thority was  such  that  poppa  left  go.  "  Is  this  here  a 
lunatic  party,  or  a  young  menagerie,  or  wdiat?  Now 
look  here,"  he  continued,  taking  Mr.  Malt  by  the  elbow 
and  seating  him  with  some  violence  in  a  corner  seat  and 
slratting  the  window.  "  If  you've  got  eight  tickets  for 
\  ourself  say  so,  if  you  haven't  that's  as  much  an'  more 

than  you  are  entitled  to.     The  other  gentleman " 

But  the  Senator  had  already  collapsed  into  the  furthest 
corner  and  was  looking  fixedly  through  the  closed  glass. 
*'  Well,  all  I've  got  to  say  is,"  he  went  on,  lowering  that 
window  with  decision,  "  that  you  can't  go  kickin'  up 
rows  in  this  country  same  as  you  do  at  home,  an*  if 
you  can't  get  along  more  satisfactory  together  I'll " 


)N. 

osite  each  other 

le,  and  I  won't 
lurling  himself 
lard  by  the  arm 
LO  only  foreign 
sd  is  that  used 
lay  river,  a  few 
n  fishing  there 
ijion  the  guard 
to  him,  he  said 
disengaged  fist 

rs.  ]\ialt. 

his  air  of  au- 
Is  this  here  a 
what  ?  ^ow 
by  the  elbow 
orner  seat  and 
ht  tickets  for 
uch  an'  more 

itleman " 

)  the  furthest 
closed  glass, 
owering  that 
lo  kickin'  up 
pome,  an' 
ler  I'll— 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


309 


if 


here  something  interrupted  him,  requiring  to  be  trans- 
ferred from  the  Senator's  hand  to  the  nearest  convenient 
pocket.  "As  I  was  goin'  to  say,  gentlemen,  there  isn't 
any  what  you  might  call  strict  rule  about  the  windows, 
an'  as  far  as  I'm  concerned,  you  can  settle  it  for  your- 
selves." 

Whereupon  he  swung  along  to  the  next  carriage,  the 
train  having  started,  and  left  us  to  reflect  on  the  incon- 
gruity of  an  English  railway  guard  in  Germany. 

It  was  curious,  but  the  incident  left  behind  it  a 
certain  coolness,  so  well  defined  that  v/hcn  monmia  sug- 
gested that  the  Malts'  window  should  be  lowered  as  it 
was  before  to  give  us  a  current  of  air,  Mrs.  Malt  said 
she  thought  it  would  be  better  to  abide  by  the  decision 
of  the  guard,  now  that  we  had  referred  it  to  him,  and 
momma  said,  "  Oh  dear  me,  yes,"  if  she  preferred  to  do 
so,  and  everybody  established  the  most  aggressively  pri- 
vate relations  with  books  and  newspapers.  It  was  quite 
a  relief  when  Mrs.  Portheris  came  at  the  next  station 
to  inquire  whether,  if  we  had  no  married  Germans  in 
our  compartment,  we  could  possibly  make  room  for 
Isabel.  ^Irs.  Portheris  had  married  Germans  in  her 
compartment,  two  pairs  of  them,  and  she  could  no  longer 
permit  her  daughter  to  observe  their  behaviour.  ''  Tliey 
obtrude  their  domestic  relations,"  said  Mrs.  Portheris, 
"  in  the  most  disgusting  way.  They  are  continually 
patting  each  other.  Quite  middle-aged,  too!  And  call- 
ing each  other  '  Leibchen,'  and  other  things  which  may 
be  worse.     My  poor  Isabel  is  dreadfully  embarrassed, 


■I 

\i 

ii. 

liH 


310 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


for,  of  course,  she  can't  always  look  out  of  the  window. 
And  as  she  understands  the  language,  I  can't  possibly 
tell  what  she  may  overhear!  " 

AVe  made  room  for  Isabel,  but  the  train  to  Mayence 
Avas  crowded  that  day,  and  before  we  arrived  we  had 
ample  reason  to  believe  that  conjugal  affection  is  not 
only  at  home  but  abroad  in  Germany.  The  Senator,  at 
one  point,  threatened  to  travel  on  the  engine  to  avoid  it. 
lie  used,  I  think  the  language  of  exaggeration  about  it. 
He  said  it  was  the  most  objectionable  article  made  in 
Germany.  But  I  did  not  notice  that  Isabel  devoted  her- 
self at  all  seriously  to  looking  out  of  the  window. 


Ill 


i 


)N. 


of  the  window. 
[  can't  iDossibly 

nin  to  ^layence 
irrivcd  we  had 
iffection  is  not 
-lie  Senator,  at 
ine  to  avoid  it. 
■ation  about  it. 
rticle  made  in 
3I  devoted  her- 
window. 


CHAPTEK  XXVII. 

''  He  tells  me,"  said  Miss  Callis,  "  that  you  are  to 
give  him  his  answer  at  Cologne." 

"  Does  he,  indeed?  "  said  I.  We  were  floating  down 
the  Rhine  in  the  society  of  our  friends,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  other  floaters,  and  a  string  band.  We  had  left 
the  battlements  of  Bingen,  and  the  Mouse  Tower  was  in 
sight.  As  we  had  already  acquired  the  legend,  and  were 
sitting  behind  the  smoke  stack,  there  was  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  discuss  Mr.  Mafferton. 

"  I  suppose  he  does  not,  by  any  chance,  mention  an 
alternative  lady,"  I  said  carelessly. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Miss  Callis,  "  that  I  should  be 
disposed  to"  listen  to  him  if  he  did.  He  would  have  to 
put  it  in  some  other  light." 

"  Why  should  you  object  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Isabel  is 
quite  a  proper  person  to  marry  him.  Much  more  so,  I 
often  think,  than  I." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Miss  Callis  without  meaning  to.  "  I 
think  he  has  outgrown  that  taste.     In  fact,  he  told  me 


so. 


» 


"  He  is  for  ever  seeking  a  fresh  bosom  for  a  confi- 
dence! "  I  cried. 

311 


'       ^iillJhKlll 


'!  !  I'..,"    I.  .1 


iiiii 


812 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


Miss  Callis  looked  at  me  with  more  interest  than  she 
would  have  wished  to  express. 

"What  do  you  really  think  of  him?"  she  asked. 
"  I  sometimes  feel  as  if  I  had  known  you  for  years,"  and 
she  took  my  hand. 

•I  gave  hers  a  gentle  pressure,  and  edged  a  little 
nearer.  "  He  has  good  shoulders,"  I  remarked  critic- 
ally. 

"  You  would  hardly  marry  him  for  his  sJiouIders! " 

"  It  doesn't  seem  quite  enough,"  I  admitted,  "  but 
then — his  information  is  always  so  accurate." 

"  If  you  think  you  would  like  living  with  an  en- 
cyclopedia." Miss  Callis  had  begun  to  look  embarrassed 
by  my  hand,  but  I  still  permitted  it  to  nestle  confidingly 
in  hers. 

"  lie  pronounces  all  his  g's,"  I  said,  "  and — did  you 
ever  see  him  in  a  silk  hat?  " 

"  I  don't  think  you  are  really  attached  to  him,  dear." 
(The  "  dear "  was  a  really  creditable  sacrifice  to  the 
situation.) 

"  I  sometimes  think,"  I  murmured,  "  that  one  never 
knows  one's  own  heart  until  some  sudden  circumstance 
puts  it  to  the  test.  'Now  if  I  had  a  rival — in  you,  for 
instance — and  I  suddenly  saw  myself  losing — but,  of 
course,  that  is  impossible  so  far  as  you  are  concerned. 
Because  of  the  Count." 

"  The  Count  isn't  in  it,"  said  Miss  Callis  firmly. 
"  At  least  at  present." 

"But,"  I  protested,  "somebody  must  provide  for 


si 


him! 
dertal 
M 
she  \\\ 

a 

make ' 
the  rij 
Malt, 
niissesi 
upon 

air  of 
"  that 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


313 


him!  I  was  so  liappy  in  the  thought  that  you  had  un- 
dertaken it." 

Miss  Callis  gave  me  back  my  hand.  She  looked  as  if 
she  would  have  liked  to  throw  it  overboard. 

^'  As  you  say,"  she  said,  "  it  is  a  little  difficult  to 
make  up  one's  mind.  Don't  you  think  those  rocks  to 
the  right  may  be  the  Lorelei^  I  must  go  and  tell  Mrs. 
Malt.  She  won't  be  fit  to  travel  with  for  a  week  if  she 
misses  the  Lorelei."  And  Miss  Callis  left  me  to  reflect 
upon  the  inconsistencies  of  my  sex. 

*'  Do  you  realise,"  said  Dicky,  as,  T\^th  an  assumed 
air  of  nonchalance,  he  sauntered  up  and  took  her  chair, 
"that  we  shall  be  in  Cologne  in  five  hours?" 

"  Fateful  Cologne,"  I  said.  "  There  are  Roman 
remains,  I  believe,  as  well  as  the  Cathedral  and  the 
scent.  Also  a  Museum  of  Industrial  Art,  but  we'll  skip 
that." 

"  We'll  skip  all  of  it,"  replied  Mr.  Dod,  with  deter- 
mination, "  you  and  I  and  Isabel.  The  train  for  Paris 
leaves  at  nine  precisely." 

"  Haven't  you  made  up  your  minds  to  let  me  off,'* 
I  pleaded.  "  I  am  sure  you  would  be  happier  alone. 
It's  so  unusual  to  elope  with  two  ladies." 

"  You  don't  seem  to  realise  how  Isabel  has  been 
brought  up,"  Dicky  returned  patiently.  "  She  can't 
travel  alone  with  me,  don't  you  see,  until  we  are  married. 
Afterwards  she'll  chaperone  you  back  to  your  party 
again.     So  it  will  be  all  right  for  you,  don't  you  see?" 

I  was  obliged  to  say  I  saw,  and  we  arranged  the  de- 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

tails.  "VVe  would  reach  Cologne  about  six,  and  Isabel 
and  I,  who  would  share  a  room  as  usual,  were  secretly 
to  i)ack  one  bag  between  us,  which  Dicky  would  smuggle 
out  of  the  hotel  and  send  to  the  station.  Isabel  was  to 
be  fatigued  and  dine  in  her  room;  I  was  to  leave  the 
table  dlwte  early  to  solace  her,  Dicky  was  to  dine  at  a 
cafe  and  meet  us  at  the  station.  AVe  would  put  out  the 
lights  and  lock  the  door  of  the  apartment  on  our  de- 
parture, and  the  chambermaid  with  hot  water  in  the 
morning  would  be  the  first  to  discover  our  flight.  We 
only  regretted  that  we  could  not  be  there  to  see  the 
astonishment  of  the  chambermaid.  "  I  won't  fail  you," 
I  assured  Mr.  Dod,  "  but  what  about  Isabel  ?  Isabel  is 
essential;  in  fact,  I  won't  consent  to  this  elopement 
without  her." 

"  Isabel,"  said  Dicky  dubiously,  "  is  all  right,  so 
far  as  her  intentions  go.  But  she'd  be  the  better  for  a 
little  stiffening.    Would  you  mind " 

I  groaned  in  spirit,  but  went  in  search  of  Isabel, 
thinking  of  phrases  that  might  stiffen  her.  I  found  her 
looking  undecided,  with  a  pencil  and  a  slip  of  paper. 

"  How  lucky  you  are,"  I  said  diplomatically,  sinking 
into  the  nearest  chair,  "  to  be  going  to  wind  up  your  trip 
on  the  Continent  in  such  a  delightful  way.  It  will  be 
- — ah — something  to  remember  all  your  life." 

"  Oh,  I  suppose  so,"  said  Isabel  plaintively,  "  but 
I  should  so  much  prefer  to  be  done  in  church.  If  mam- 
ma would  only  consent!  " 

"  She  never  would,"  I  declared,  for  I  felt  that  I 


nuu 
at  a  I 

pose  I 

serv(I 


hil 


r. 

Xy  and  Isabel 
were  secretly 
k'oukl  smuggle 
Isabel  was  to 
3  to  leave  the 
s  to  dine  at  a 
Id  put  out  the 
at  on  our  de- 
water  in  the 
Lr  flight.     AVe 
sre  to  see  the 
)n't  fail  you," 
3el?    Isabel  is 
[lis  elopement 

all  right,  so 
better  for  a 

eh  of  Isabel, 
I  found  her 
of  paper. 
2ally,  sinking 
up  your  trip 
It  will  be 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


315 


e. 


» 


tively,  "  but 
h.    If  mam- 
felt  that  I 


must  see  Isabel  Mrs.  Dod  within  the  next  day  or  two 
at  all  costs. 

"  A  registry  office  sounds  so  uninteresting.  I  sup- 
pose one  just  goes — as  one  is." 

"  I  don't  think  veils  and  trains  are  worn,"  I  ol)- 
served,  "  except  by  i)ersuns  of  high  rank  wiio  do  not  ap- 
prove of  the  marriage  service.  I  dont  know  what  the 
Marcpiis  of  Queensberry  might  do,  or  Mr.  (Jrant  Allen." 

"  Of  course,  the  ceremony  doesn't  matter  to  thcm,^' 
replied  Isabel  intelligently,  "''  because  they  would  just 
wear  morning  dress  anyiclicre.^^ 

"  Looking  at  it  that  way,  they  haven't  nmcli  to  lose," 
I  conceded. 

"  And  no  wedding  cake,"  grieved  Isabel,  "  and  no 
reception  at  the  house  of  the  bride's  mother.  And  you 
can't  have  your  picture  in  the  Queen.'^ 

"  There  would  be  a  difficulty,"  I  said,  "  about  the 
descriptive  part." 

"  And  no  favours  for  the  coachman,  and  no  trous- 


seau— 

"  I  wonder,"  I  said,  "  whether,  under  those  circum- 
stances, it's  really  worth  while." 

"Oh,  well!"  said  Isabel 

"  It's  a  night  to  Paris,  and  a  morning  to  Dover,"  I 

said.     "  We  will  wait  for  the  others  at  Dover — I  fancy 

they'll  hurry — that'll  be  another  day.     I'll  take  one 

rohe  de  nuit,  Isabel,  three  pocket  handkerchiefs,  one     '' 

brush  and  comb,  and  tooth  brush.     You  shall  have  all 

the  rest  of  the  bag." 
21 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 

*'  You  arc  a  port'cct  love,"  exclaimed  Miss  Portlicris, 
with  tlie  most  toiicliing  <!,ratitii(le. 

''  We  will  share  the  soap,"  I  continued,  ''  until  jou 
arc  married.     Afterwards " 

"  Oh,  vou  can  have  it  then,"  said  Isabel,  "  of  course," 
and  she  looked  at  the  Castle  of  llheinfels  and  blushed 
beautifully. 


1  Miss  Portlioria, 


lied,  "  until  you 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


"  There  was  only  one  thing  that  disappointed  mo,'' 
Mrs.  Malt  was  saying  at  the  dinner  table  of  the  Cologne 
hotel,  "  and  that  wasn't  so  nuieh  what  voii  would  call 
a  disappointment  as  a  surprise.  White  windows-blinds 
in  a  robber  castle  on  the  Ilhine  I  did  not  expect  to  see." 

I  slipped  away  before  momma  had  time  to  announce 
and  explain  her  disappointments,  but  I  heard  her  begin. 
Then  I  felt  safe,  for  criticism  of  the  Rhine  is  absorb- 
ing matter  for  coversation.  The  steamer's  custom  of 
giving  one  stewed  plums  with  chicken  is  an  affront  to 
civilisation  to  last  a  good  twenty  minutes  by  myself. 
I  tried  to  occupy  and  calm  Isabel's  mind  with  it  as  we 
walked  over  to  the  station,  under  the  twin  towers  of  the 
Cathedral,  but  with  indifferent  success.  To  add  to  her 
agitation  at  this  crisis  of  her  life,  the  top  button  came 
off  her  glove,  and  when  that  happened  I  felt  the  inutil- 
ity of  w^ords. 

AVe  passed  the  policemen  on  the  Cathedral  square 
with  affected  indifference.  We  believed  we  were  not 
liable  to  arrest,  but  policemen,  when  one  is  eloping,  have 
a  forbidding  look.  We  refrained,  by  mutual  arrange- 
ment, from  turning  once  to  look  back  for  possible  pur- 

317 


318 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


sucrs,  but  tlmt  is  not  a  tiling  I  would  undertake  to  do 
again  under  similar  eireunistaneeH.  We  'Ven  had  the 
liardiliood  to  huv  a  hox  of  ehocohites  on  the  wav,  that 
is,  Isabel  bougiit  theni,  while  1  watched  current  events 
at  the  confectioner's  door.  The  station  was  really  only 
about  seven  minutes'  walk  from  the  hotel,  but  it  seenu'd 
an  hour  before  1  was  able  to  point  out  Dicky,  alert  and 
expectant,  on  the  edge  of  the  platform  behind  the  line 
of  cabs. 

"  8o  near  the  fultilnient  of  his  hopes,  poor  fellow," 
I  rcnuirked. 

"  Yes,"  concurred  Isabel,  "  but  do  you  know  I  al- 
most wish  Ire  wasn't  coming." 

"  Don't  tell  him  so,  whatever  you  do,"  I  exclaimed. 
"  I  know  Dicky's  sensitive  nature,  and  it  is  just  as  likely 
as  not  that  he  would  take  you  at  your  word.  And  I 
will  not  elope  with  you  alone." 

I  need  not  have  been  alarmed.  Isabel  had  no  in- 
tention of  reducing  the  party  at  the  last  moment.  I 
listened  for  protests  and  hesitations  when  they  met,  but 
all  I  heard  was,  "Hare  you  got  the  bag?  " 

Dicky  had  the  bag,  the  tickets,  the  places,  every- 
thing. He  had  already  assumed,  though  only  a  husband 
of  to-morrow,  the  imperative  and  responsible  connection 
■with  Isabel's  arrangements.  He  told  her  she  was  to  sleep 
with  her  head  toward  the  engine,  that  she  was  to  drink 
nothing  but  soda-water  at  any  of  the  stations,  and  that 
she  must  not,  on  any  account,  leave  the  carriage  when 
we  changed  for  Paris  until  he  came  for  her.     It  would 


XV. 


A  VOYAGE  JF  CONSOLATION. 


all) 


nulortako  to  do 
^'  '^^'011  liud  tlio 
1  tli(>  way,  that 
current  events 
Nvas  really  only 
J  Jjiit  it  seemed 
'it'ky,  alert  and 
)oliind  the  lino 

,  poor  fellow," 

oil  know  I  al- 

'  I  exclaimed. 
5  just  as  likely 
^'ord.     And  I 

I  had  no  in- 

niomeut.     I 

Iicy  met,  but 

laces,  every- 
y  a  husband 
3  connection 
was  to  sleep 
ras  to  drink 
s,  and  that 
riage  when 
It  would 


1)0  my  business  to  see  that  these  instructions  were  car- 
ried out. 

''  Wliat  shall  J  do,"  1  asked,  "  if  she  cries  in  the 
night  r' 

13ut  Dicky  was  sweeping  us  toward  the  waiting-room, 
and  did  not  liear  me.  lie  {)laced  us  carefully  in  the  scats 
nearest  the  main  door,  which  ojx'ued  upon  the  (lcj)arture 
l)latform,  full  of  people  hurrying  to  and  fro,  and  of 
the  more  leisurely  movement  of  shunting  trains.  The 
lamps  were  lighted,  though  twilight  still  hung  about; 
the  scene  was  pleasantly  exciting.  I  said  to  Isabel  that 
I  never  thought  I  should  enjoy  an  elopement  so  much. 

"/  shall  enjoy  settling  down,"  she  replied  thought- 
fullv.  "  Dicky  has  promised  me  that  all  the  china  shall 
be  hand-painted." 

"  You  won't  mind  my  leaving  you  for  five  seconds," 
said  Mr.  Dod,  suddenly  exploring  his  breast-pocket; 
"  the  train  doesn't  leave  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  yet,  and 
I  find  I  haven't  a  smoke  about  me,"  and  he  opened  the 
door. 

"  Xot  more  that  five  seconds  then,"  I  said,  for  noth- 
ing is  more  trying  to  the  nerves  than  to  wait  for  a  train 
which  is  due  in  a  few  minutes  and  a  man  who  is  buvincr 
cigars  at  the  same  time. 

Dicky  left  the  door  open,  and  tliat  was  how  T  heard 
a  strangely  familiar  voice,  with  an  inflexion  of  enforced 
calm  and  repression,  suddenly  address  him  from  be- 
hind it. 

^^Good  evening,  Dod!^' 


'  ! 


01!lilll!:i 


320 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


I  (lid  not  shriek,  or  even  grasp  Isabel's  hand.  I 
simply  got  up  and  stood  a  little  nearer  the  door.  But 
I  have  known  few  moments  so  electrical. 

"  My  dear  chap,  how  are  you?  "  exclaimed  Dicky. 
"How  arc  you?  Staying  in  Cologne?  I'm  just  off  to 
Paris." 

I  thought  I  heard  a  heavy  sigh,  but  it  was  somewhat 
lost  in  the  trundling  of  the  porters'  trucks. 

'^  Then,"  said  Arthur  Page,  for  I  had  not  been  de- 
ceived, "  it  is  as  I  supposed." 

"  AVhat  did  you  suppose,  old  chap?  "  asked  Dicky  in 
a  joyous  and  expansive  tone. 

"  You  do  not  go  alone?  " 

The  bitterness  of  this  was  not  a  thing  that  could  be 
communicated  to  paper  and  ink. 

''  Why,  no,"  said  Dicky,  ''  the  fact  is " 

I  saw  the  wave — it  was  cliaracteristic — with  which 
'Mr.  Page  stopped  him.  ''  I  have  been  made  acquainted 
with  tlic  facts,"  he  said.  "  Do  not  dwell  u])on  them. 
I  do  not,  cannot,  blame  you,  if  you  have  really  won  her 
heart." 

"  So  far  as  I  know,"  said  Dicky,  with  some  hauteur, 
"  there's  nothing  in  it  to  give  yon  the  liump." 

"Why  waste  time  in  idle  words?"  replied  Arthur. 
"  You  will  lose  your  train.  I  could  never  forgive  myself 
if  I  were  the  cause-  of  tliat." 

"  You  won't  be,"  said  Dicky  sententiously,  looking 
at  his  watch. 

"  But  I  must  ask — must  demand — the  privilege  of 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


321 


.%ns  somewhat 


one  parting  word,"  said  Arthur  firndy.  "  Do  not  be 
apprehensive  of  any  painful  scene.  I  desire  only  to  wish 
her  every  happiness,  and  to  bid  her  farewell." 

Mr.  Dod,  though  on  the  eve  of  his  wedding  day,  was 
not  wholly  oblivious  of  the  love  affairs  of  other  people. 
I  could  see  a  new-born  and  overwhelming  comprehension 
of  the  situation  in  his  face  as  he  put  his  head  in  at  the 
door  and  beckoned  to  Isabel.  Evidentlv  he  could  not 
trust  himself  to  speak. 

"  Miss  Portheris,"  he  said,  with  magnificent  self-con- 
trol, "  Mr.  Page.  ^Ir.  Page  would  like  to  wish  you 
every  happiness  and  to  bid  you  farewell,  Isabel,  and  I 
don't  see  why  he  shouldn't.    We  have  still  five  minutes." 

There  are  limits  to  the  propriety  of  all  practical 
jokes,  and  I  walked  out  at  once  to  assure  Arthur  that  his 
misunderstanding  was  (]uite  natural,  and  somewhat  less 
excpiisitely  humorous  than  Mr.  Dod  appeared  to  find  it. 

"  I  am  merely  eloping  too,"  I  said,  ''  in  case  any- 
thing should  happen  to  Isabel."  Healisiiig  that  this  was 
also  being  misinterj)reted,  I  added,  "  She  is  not  accus- 
tomed to  travelling  alone." 

AVe  had  shaken  hands,  and  that  always  makes  a 
situation  more  normal,  but  there  was  still  plainly  an 
enormous  amount  to  clear  up,  and  painfully  little  time 
to  do  it  in,  thoujjrh  Dickv  with  creat  consid(^ration  im- 
mediately  put  Isabel  into  the  carriage  and  follow(  d  her 
to  its  remotest  corner,  leaving  me  standing  at  the  door, 
and  Arthur  holding  it  open.  The  second  bell  rang  as 
I  learned  from  ^[r.  Page  that  the  Pattersons  had  gone 


I  I 


322 


A    VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


to  Newport  this  siimmor,  and  that  it  was  extremely  hot 
in  Xcw  York  when  he  left.  As  the  guard  eanie  along 
the  i)latforni  shutting  up  tlie  doors  of  the  train,  Arthur's 
agitation  increased,  and  1  saw  that  his  customary  suffer- 
ing in  connection  with  me,  was  quite  as  great  as  any- 
body couhl  desire.  The  guard  had  skipi)ed  our  carriage, 
])ut  it  was  already  vibrating  in  dei)artiire — creaking 
— moving.  1  looked  at  Arthur  in  a  manner — I  con- 
fess it — which  annihilated  our  two  months  of  separa- 
tion. 

"  Then  since  you're  not  going  to  marry  Dod,"  he 
incpiired  breathlessly,  walking  along  with  the  train — 
"  I've  heard  vari<.)us  reports — whom,  may  I  ask,  are 
you  going  to  marry  (*  " 

'*  AVhy,  nobody,"  I  said,  "  unless " 

"  AVell,  I  should  think  so!  "  ejaculated  Arthur,  and 
in  spite  of  the  frightful  German  language  used  by  the 
guard,  he  jumped  into  the  carriage. 

lie  has  maintained  ever  since  that  he  was  obliired 
to  do  it  in  order  to  exj)lain  his  presence  on  the  platform, 
which  was,  of  course,  carrying  the  matter  to  its  logical 
conclusion.  It  seemed  that  the  Senator  had  advi^cu  him 
to  come  over  and  meet  ns  accidentally  in  Venice,  where 
he  had  intimated  that  reunion  would  be  oidy  a  question 
of  privacy  and  a  full  moon.  On  his  arrival  at  Venice — 
it  was  liis  gondola  that  we  shared — the  Senator  had  dis- 
couraged him  for  the  moment,  and  had  since  constantly 
telegraphed  him  that  the  opportune  moment  had  not  yet 
arrived.    Finally  poppa  had  written  to  say  that,  though 


' 


extremely  hot 
ird  ciiiue  along 
train,  Arthur's 
stoniary  suH'er- 
5  great  as  any- 
d  our  carriage, 
ture — creaking 
tanner — I  eon- 
iths  of  separa- 

!U*rv  Dod,"  he 
[\i  the  train — 
ay   I  ask,   are 


?) 


d 


:e 


Arthur,  and 
used  bv  the 


was  obliged 
the  phitform, 
to  its  logical 
1  advi^cQ  him 
Vnice,  where 
ly  a  question 

at  Venice — 
tiator  had  dis- 
co constantly 
t  had  not  yet 
that,  though 


Whom  ii/t-  ymi  tjoiiij^   Id  many  ? 


I 


I 


If  VI  I 


A  VOYAGE  OF  CONSOLATION. 


323 


he  grieved  to  aiinoiiiice  that  I  was  engaged  to  Dicky, 
and  he  could  not  guarantee  any  disengagement,  he  was 
still  operating  to  that  end.  This,  however,  i^recipitated 
Mr.  Page  to  Cologne,  where  observation  of  our  move- 
ments at  a  distance  brought  him  to  the  wrong  conclu- 
sion, but  fortunately  to  the  right  platform.  As  Isabel 
remarked,  if  such  "^hings  were  put  in  books  nobody  would 
believe  them. 

It  seemed  (juite  unreasonable  and  absurd  when  we 
talked  it  over  that  Arthur  and  I  should  travel  from 
Cologne  to  Dover  merely  to  witness  the  nuptials  of  Dicky 
and  Isabel.  As  Dicky  pointed  out,  moreover,  our  moral 
support  when  it  came  to  the  interview  with  Mrs.  Por- 
tlieris  would  be  much  more  valuable  if  it  were  united. 
There  would  be  the  registrar — one  registrar  would  do — 
and  there  would  be  the  opportunity  of  making  it  a  square 
party.  These  were  Dicky's  arguments;  Arthur's  were 
more  personal  but  ecpially  convincing,  and  I  must  admit 
that  I  thought  a  good  deal  of  the  dii)lomatic  anticipation 
of  that  magnificent  wedding  which  was  to  illustrate  and 
adorn  the  survival  of  the  methods  of  the  Doge  of  Venice 
in  the  family  of  a  Senator  of  Chicago.  And  thus  it  was 
that  we  were  all  married  sociablv  together  in  Dover 
the  following  morning,  despatching  a  telegram  imme- 
diately afterAvards  to  the  Senator  at  the  Cologne  hotel 
as  follows: 

"  We  have  eloped. 

"  (Signed)  R.  and  I.  Don. 

''  A.  and  :M.  Page." 


i:  h 


I  I 


324 


A   VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


Later  on  in  the  day  we  added  details,  tu  show  that 
we  bore  no  niaHce,  and  announeed  that  we  were  pre- 
])ared  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  rest  of  the  party  for 
any  length  of  time  at  Dover. 

AVe  even  went  down  to  the  station  to  meet  them, 
where  recriminations  and  congratulations  were  so  min- 
gled that  it  was  impossible,  for  some  time,  to  tell  whether 
we  were  most  blessed  or  banned.  Even  in  the  confusion 
of  the  moment,  however,  I  noticed  that  Mr.  MaflFerton 
made  Miss  Callis's  baggage  his  special  care,  and  saw 
clearly  in  the  cordiality  of  her  sentiments  toward  me, 
and  the  firmness  of  her  manner  in  ordering  him  about, 
that  the  future  peer  had  reached  his  last  alternative. 

I  rejoice  to  add  that  the  day  also  showed  that  even 
Count  Filgiatti  had  fallen,  in  the  general  ordering  of 
fates,  upon  happiness  with  honour.  I  noticed  that  Em- 
meliue  vigorously  protected  him  from  the  Customs 
officer  who  wished  to  confiscate  his  cigarettes,  and  I 
mentioned  her  air  of  proprietorship  to  her  father. 

''  Wliv,  ves,"  said  ^[r.  Afalt,  "  he  offered  himself  as 
a  count  vou  see,  and  Emmeline  seemed  to  think  she'd 
like  to  have  one,  so  I  closed  with  him.  There  isn't  any- 
think  likely  to  come  of  it  for  three  or  four  years,  but  he's 
willing  to  wait,  and  she's  got  to  grow\" 

I  expressed  my  felicitations,  and  Mr.  Malt  added 
somewhat  regretfully  that  it  would  have  been  better  if 
he'd  had  more  in  his  clothes,  but  that  was  what  you  had 
to  expect  with  counts;  -is  a  rule  they  didn't  seem  to 
have  what  you  might  call  any  money  use  for  pockets. 


•t 


A  VOYAGE  OP  CONSOLATION. 


325 


In  the  mcantiino  tlioy  were  taking  him  home  to  edu- 
cate him  in  the  duties  of  American  citizenship.  Emme- 
line  put  it  to  me  briefly,  "  I'm  not  any  Daisy  Miller," 
she  said,  "■  and  I  prefer  to  live  out  of  Home." 

Once  a  year  the  present  Lady  Maiferton  invites  Mrs. 
Portheris  to  tea,  and  I  know  they  discuss  my  theory  of 
engagements  in  a  critical  spirit.  AVe  have  never  seen 
either  Miss  Xancy  or  Miss  Cora  Bingham  again,  and 
I  should  have  forgotten  the  names  of  Mr.  Pabbley  and 
Mr.  Ilinkson  bv  this  time  if  I  had  not  written  them 
down  in  earlier  chapters.  Arthur  and  I  have  not  yet 
made  up  our  minds  to  another  visit  to  England.  AVe 
have  several  friends  there,  however,  whom  we  appreciate 
exceedingly,  in  spite,  as  we  often  say  to  one  another,  of 
their  absurd  and  deplorable  accent. 


THE    END. 


/ 
1 
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A 

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find.". 

A 

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never  1 

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the  des 
the  stre 
Ii^nglish 


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"It  seems  to  us  th.it  there  is  in  this  latest  product  much  of  the  realism  of  per- 
sonal cxptrrience.  However  mndificd  and  disguised,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  thiiilc  that 
the  writer's  personality  docs  not  present  itself  ill  Samukrs  McQuhirr.  .  .  .  Karely  has 
the  author  drawn  more  tiiily  from  life  than  in  the  cases  of  Nance  and  '  the  Henipic' ; 
never  more  typical  Scotsm.in  of  the  humble  sort  than  the  farmer  I'eter  Chryslic." — 
London  A l/tenauin, 

"  A  thoroughly  delightful  book.  ...  It  is  hearty,  wholesome,  full  of  pleasant  light 
and  dainty  touches.  It  must  bu  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  things  that  Crockett  has 
written." — Brooklyn  Eagle. 


c 


LEG  KELLY,  ARAB   OF   THE  CITY. 

Progress  and  Adventures.     Illustrated. 


His 


"  A  masterpiece  which  Mark  Twain  himself  has  never  rivaled.  ...  If  there  ever 
was  an  ideal  character  in  fiction  it  is  this  heroic  ragamuffin."  —  London  Daily 
Chronicle, 

"  In  no  one  of  his  books  does  Mr.  Crockett  give  us  a  briphter  or  more  graphic 

Eicturc  of  contemporary  S-totch  life  than  in  'Cleg  Kelly.'  ...  It  is  one  of  the  great 
ooks." — Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 


B 


OG-MYRTLE  AND  FEAT.     Third  edition. 


'  Here  are  idyls,  epics,  dramas  of  human  life,  written  in  words  that  thrill  and 
burn.  .  .  .  F.ach  is  a  poem  that  has  an  immortal  flavor.  Tliey  are  fragments  of 
the  author's  early  dreams,  too  bright,  too  gorgeous,  too  full  of  the  blood  of  rubies 
and  the  life  of  diamonds  to  be  caught  and  held  palpitating  in  expression's  grasp."— 
Boston  Courier, 

"  Hardly  a  sketch  among  them  all  that  will  not  afford  pleasure  to  the  reader  for 
its  genial  humor,  artistic  local  coloring,  and  admirable  portrayal  of  character." — 
Boston  Home  Journal. 

"One  dips  into  the  book  anywhere  and  reads  on  and  on,  fascinated  by  the  writer's 
charm  of  manner." — Minneapolis  Tribune, 

n^HE  LILAC  SUNBONNET.     Eighth  edition. 

"  A  love  story  pure  and  simple,  one  of  the  old-fashioned,  wholesome,  sun- 
shiny kind,  with  a  pure-minded,  sound  hearted  hero,  and  a  heroine  who  is  merely  a 
good  and  beautiful  woman  ;  and  if  any  other  love  story  half  so  sweet  has  been  written 
this  year,  it  has  escaped  our  notice."— A'/w'  York  Times. 

"The  general  conception  of  the  story,  the  motive  of  which  is  the  growth  of  love 
between  the  young  chief  and  heroine,  is  delineated  with  a  sweetness  and  a  freshness, 
a  naturalness  and  a  certainty,  which  places  '  The  Lilac  Sunbonnet '  among  the  best 
stories  of  the  time." — New  York  Mail  and  Express. 

"In  its  own  line  this  little  love  story  can  hardly  be  excelled.  It  is  a  pastoral,  an 
idyl— the  story  of  love  and  courtship  and  marriage  of  a  fine  young  man  and  a  lovely 
girl— no  more ;  but  it  is  told  in  so  thoroughly  delij;htful  a  manner,  with  such  playful 
humor,  such  delicate  fancy,  such  true  and  sympathetic  feeling,  that  nothing  more  could 
*ie  desired." — Boston  Traveler. 


D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY.  NEW  YORK. 


JBLICATIONS. 


.  $1.50- 


ich  of  the  realism  of  per- 
lly  possible  to  think  that 
Quhirr.  .  .  .  Karely  hai 
mice  and  'the  Hcnipic'j 
rnier  Peter  Chrystie." — 

me,  full  of  pleasant  light 
things  that  Crockett  hai 


?  CITY.      His 


aled.  ...  If  there  ever 
ufTm,"  —  London  Daily 

>riphter  or  more  graphic 
.  It  is  one  of  the  great 


bird  edition. 

in  words  that  thrill  and 

Tliey  are  fragments  of 

II  of  tht  blood  of  rubies 

1  expression's  grasp."— 

casure  to  the  reader  for 
trayal  of  character." — 

ascinated  by  the  writer's 


ighth  edition. 

ioned,  wholesome,  sun- 
leroine  who  is  merely  a 
)  sweet  has  been  written 

ch  is  the  growth  of  love 
ifeetness  and  a  freshness, 
jonnet'  among  the  best 

ed.  It  is  a  pastoral,  an 
'oung  man  and  a  lovely 
mner,  with  such  playful 
that  nothing  more  could 


W  YORK. 


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